That Voodoo That You Do
by CajunWitch
Summary: Hermione is sick of being a wallflower and completely overhauls her image before returning to Hogwarts for her last year.  Draco definitely notices and likes it.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter! Enjoy this Dramione.

Something wasn't right. Hermione was set to spend time with her good friends, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Harry Potter the summer before they returned to Hogwarts to finish their 7th year. They decided to finish the year that was skipped due to the war and defeating Voldemort. She also found out that she was going to be Head Girl. Also, she and Ron were finally making progress at becoming a couple. She felt that it was going to be a welcome change after the tumultuous past few months. Everyone was slowly healing and repairing the damage from the war.

It was June and Hogwarts was set to start at the beginning of September. She had sent letters to her friends at the Weasley's home, The Burrow and had not received any replies. She puttered around her room in the home she shared with her parents. She went downstairs and stepped into the kitchen. Her parents were at the kitchen table having breakfast. She was so grateful that they had made it through the war unscathed. It still saddened her that she had to erase their memories of her when she had them sent away to Australia, but it was the right thing to do. Thankfully, everything was pretty much back to normal. Mrs. Granger smiled when she saw Hermione coming toward them.

"Good morning dear. Come sit and eat."

"Thanks mum." She took a bagel and got a mug of tea.

"Hermione, what are your plans this summer? Are you going to visit the Weasleys and Harry?"

"Well, it is the strangest thing, I have not heard from any of my friends. I am a little worried. I wonder if I should just go over to The Burrow and make sure everything is okay."

"Yes, maybe it would be good to check on them. I am a bit surprised you haven't heard from them."

"Okay, I will go after breakfast."

**The Burrow**

"Harry, I feel like shit. This is the second letter she has sent and we still have not replied. Someone needs to let her know." Said Ginny.

"I know we need to tell her, but how? She is one of my best friends and after all we have been through, this is the last thing she needs to hear." replied Harry.

Ginny and Harry had assumed that Ron and Hermione were finally going to become a couple. Ron had other ideas. He told them that Hermione was okay, but not "girlfriend" material. She felt like a sister to him. He had started dating Misty Goldenrod, a witch who was a barmaid at a pub in Hogsmeade. Ginny and Harry did not like Misty and felt that she was only with Ron because he had been part of the Golden trio. Misty was attractive at first, with shoulder-length straight brown hair and black eyes, with a petite figure. This impression ended when she opened her mouth. She had absolutely no tact and was about as subtle as a garbage truck. It took every bit of restraint Ginny had not to haul back and knock out a few of Misty's teeth when the daft girl made rude comments about Hermione being so plain. Harry figured Ron was with her because of the sex. He knew Hermione would never consent to sleeping with Ron until they were married.

Ginny heard a knock at their front door and answered it. She was shocked when she saw Hermione standing there. Hermione hugged her and said "It has been way too long! Is everything okay? I decided to drop by since I had not heard from any of you."

She saw Harry and they embraced. Ginny took a breath and said, "'Mione, we need to" Before Ginny could finish the sentence, Hermione was going up the stairs and saying, "I cannot wait until I see Ron!" When she reached the door to his bedroom, she wondered why it was closed in the middle of the day. She knocked softly and did not hear anything except for faint murmuring. She decided to open the door and was greeted with a sight. Ron was butt naked and on top of a nude young woman she had never laid eyes on. Her breath caught and she closed the door. She could not believe what she just saw. Now she knew why she had not received any replies. She slowly made her way down the stairs. Harry and Ginny were waiting for her.

"We tried to tell you. We are so sorry, Ron is such a git! Hermione, the last thing we wanted to do was hurt you!" Ginny spoke on behalf of her and Harry.

Hermione sighed and said, "I understand the position you and Harry were in. I am not upset with you. Ron and I were never "official". I guess he can shag anyone he likes, I suppose."

Ginny embraced her and said, "That girl he is with is trash! My mother would have a fit if she knew Ron had her in his bedroom. I don't know what is wrong with Ron. He has been on a power trip since the war ended. His head will soon be too big to fit in here!"

In spite of what she had just witnessed, Hermione had to laugh. Ginny was such a character and did not hold her tongue. She decided that she was going to go home; it was a mistake to come here. She told Ginny and Harry goodbye and they promised to write. She now had no plans for the summer and wondered what she was going to do until school started.

Hermione returned home and wondered why she was not as upset as she thought she would have been after seeing Ron with someone else. Probably after all the atrocities she had witnessed in the war and what she had been through, this was something she could handle. At that moment, Hermione decided she was tired of always being the "good girl" and doing the right thing. It was time that she started living and having fun.

She explained to her parents that she would not be visiting The Burrow this summer because of Ron's current dating situation. Her mother was a little disappointed for Hermione; she always knew that her daughter had a crush on Ron.

Hermione went up to her room and opened her laptop to check emails and Facebook. She still loved the technology of the Muggle world despite being a witch. She noticed that she had an email from Natalie Dupre. She had met Natalie a few summers ago at a Young Witch/Wizard Convention that had taken place at a hidden location in New York City. They hit it off immediately and had kept in touch through the years. Natalie attended a wizarding school located in the New Orleans, Louisiana area. She opened up the email and began reading:

_Hermione,_

_How are you? I was thrilled to find out the war has ended and the Dark One was defeated. Everyone here is in awe of you and I am proud to let them know you are my friend. I can imagine that things have been quite hectic, but the reason I am writing is to ask if you would like to come spend time with my family and me this summer. I will even send the plane ticket, lol! It has been way too long since we hung out, please say yes! _

_Looking forward to hearing from you._

_Natalie_

Hermione smiled and said softly to herself, "Looks like my summer won't be so bleak after all." She typed a reply to Natalie:

_Natalie,_

_It is so great to hear from you! I would love to visit you and your family, thank you so much for the invitation. Your email was such a pleasant surprise considering my current situation. I will tell you all about it when I see you. You do not have to send a plane ticket, I will take care of it. Looking forward to seeing you, it HAS been way too long._

_Hermione_

Hermione told her parents about Natalie's invitation and they told her they thought it would be a good idea for her to visit her friend. Her parents were a little worried since she rarely left the house and seemed sad. They noticed how excited she was to hear from Natalie. If that is what it took to lift her spirits, they were happy to let her go to the United States.

Mrs. Granger helped Hermione get the luggage she needed for her trip. She sat on her daughter's bed and watched as Hermione sorted through what clothes she was going to bring. She noticed that Hermione did not have much of a wardrobe and decided it was time to do something about that.

"Hermione dear, when was the last time you went shopping for clothes?"

She had a sheepish look on her face and laughed a little. "It has been awhile, Mum. It is okay, I have enough clothes."

Mrs. Granger picked up a faded T-shirt with stains. She shook her head, "No, this will not do. I feel like such a bad mother! Let's go shopping. Hermione, you are an 18 year old girl and you need to dress like one. You cannot go on a holiday with old pants and T-shirts. You need fun clothes!"

"Okay, Mum. You talked me into it. I just never was into all of the fashion trends, but I have decided that I need to update my image. Change is good."

"Great! Well, how about we get your hair trimmed and new makeup? Let's have a girl's day. We can get manicures and pedicures too!"

Hermione was a little shocked that she was actually looking forward to this. Normally, she was never one to get excited about new clothes or makeup, but something woke up in her. Hermione was ready to take on the world with a whole new outlook. She was tired of being the wallflower and it was hard to admit this , but she was also sick of being a "doormat". She thought about all of the times she helped Ron with homework, if you define helping as doing almost all of the assignment and now felt used especially after seeing him with his new girlfriend. The more she thought about it, the more pissed she became. Yeah, she needed to make a few changes. Hermione Granger was not going to be "Miss Perfect", "Bookworm", "Know-it-all" or even "Mudblood". Ugh, that made her think of Malfoy. Hopefully, he would not be returning to Hogwarts. She was not going to let anyone walk all over her. She remembered a quote from an old movie, "Risky Business" starring the muggle actor Tom Cruise. The quote was "Every now and then say, "What the fuck." "What the fuck" gives you freedom. Freedom brings opportunity. Opportunity makes your future." That was it, she decided at that moment, "What the fuck" was her new motto from this day forward.

**I am back! This idea has been in my mind for a few weeks. I want Hermione to be a "bad ass" and have flaws. Someone commented in my last story that she was way too perfect and I agree. It may take a little while for Draco to come in, but I want to build up to it. He will be mentioned. Enjoy and please review. Hope to add more over the weekend, but I am studying for 3 tests too!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing pertaining to Harry Potter! Thank you for the reviews and for reading, really made my day and inspired me to write more!**

Hermione and her mother set off to spend the day getting pampered and shopping. Her father asked that they try not to spend too much. Their first stop was Sebastian's, an ultra-chic hair salon in the middle of London. It was very modern, lots of chrome and mirrors, with soft music piped in. Hermione felt a little intimidated walking into the salon, it was filled with women who could be models and probably some of them were. They were greeted by a tall, gangly man in his early thirties. He was completely bald, had a neatly trimmed goatee and his eyes were a piercing blue. He was dressed in a tight fitting black T-shirt and leather pants with motorcycle boots. Hermione thought that he was security for the salon and was about to escort her and her mother off the premises. Imagine her surprise, when he started to speak and it was with a very pronounced high-pitched lisp. He embraced her mother and said, "I was so happy when you called, darling! What does your daughter need today?"

"Sebastian, she needs the complete works. This is my daughter Hermione." She gently pushed Hermione towards Sebastian and he looked her over from head to toe.

"When was your last hair appointment with a professional, sweetie?" he asked.

"I cannot remember. I usually trim my hair myself when it gets too ratty." She replied.

He sighed and said, "Yes, it is obvious it has been quite a while since your hair received attention. Come on back and I will do what I can."

He led her to his station and had her sit in the styling chair. He stared at her in the mirror and lifted her hair in different angles. He nodded and spoke to himself a few times. All of a sudden, he clapped his hands and said "Eureka, I've got it! Do you trust me sweetie?"

Hermione answered, "Sure, you are the expert, do whatever will keep my hair from being so unruly."

He smiled and said, "Oh, you will not regret this, let Sebastian work his magic!"

She and her mother emerged from the salon a few hours later with manicures and pedicures. Hermione could not get over the change in her hair. She wondered if Sebastian was magical. For the first time in her life, her hair fell in smooth waves and was not a frizzy bird's nest. She was not sure what all he did, but her hair looked fabulous. He gave her his line of styling products and said to use them religiously. She also promised that she would come back in a few months for a trim.

They spent the rest of the day shopping and it was a successful venture. She and her mother had such a great time together. She got a whole new wardrobe, along with nice lingerie and new makeup. She was a bit shocked when her mother urged her to buy thong underwear and told her panty lines were atrocious. The boot of their car was full. Hermione felt a little guilty to have all of these items, but her mother insisted that she and her father felt that Hermione deserved it.

They arrived home and unpacked everything. Hermione could not help being efficient and organized everything for her trip. She was leaving in two days and was eager to go. Something told her that this was not going to be an ordinary holiday. She had always been intrigued by the New Orleans area and was looking forward to exploring the city. She had read many books on the history of New Orleans and was drawn to it. She could not help but feel that some unseen force was leading her there besides Natalie's invitation.

Finally, the day arrived and her parents drove her to the airport. They made sure that she had everything she needed, including American muggle money. Hermione assured them that she had everything she needed and that she would call them as soon as she arrived. She was a little worried that she did not let Harry or Ginny know that she was going away, but the hell with them, there were a few correspondences after the incident at The Burrow, but nothing more. It was as if they conveniently forgot about her. Well, no problem. She thought about her new motto and smiled. Sometimes you have to say, "What the fuck" and life goes on. She boarded the plane and did not think about her so-called friends again.

She arrived in New Orleans midday. She stepped off the plane and walked with the other passengers to the terminal. She saw Natalie waiting and she started waving. Natalie ran up to her and gave her a big hug. She stepped away from Hermione and told her that she liked the new look. She was used to seeing Hermione with no makeup and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was glad to see her friend with a new hairdo and makeup. She always thought that Hermione had "hotness" potential. Natalie helped her retrieve her luggage and they headed for Natalie's car. Natalie and her family lived in a small town about 20 minutes away from the airport, so that was going to be their first destination. The girls were so happy to see each other and talked nonstop. Natalie could not wait for her family to meet Hermione.

On the way to Natalie's home, Hermione told her what had happened with Ron. Natalie cursed like a sailor and had quite a few choice words for Ron. Natalie was a beautiful person, inside and out. She was crass at times, but extremely loyal to family and friends. When Hermione told her what Ron did, Natalie took it personally. No one did that to her friend! Hermione looked at her friend and told her she looked like the actress Jessica Alba. Natalie was one who was completely unaware of how pretty she was. Boys were ready to fall all over themselves around her, but were intimidated by her strong personality. That was definitely one of the reasons Hermione liked her so much.

They arrived at Natalie's and Hermione could not believe that this was where her friend lived. Natalie's family was one of the most powerful pureblood families in the United States. They preferred living in the muggle world and her father, Earl Dupre, had made his fortune in architecture and restoring antebellum homes. Natalie's mother was the former Delia Everhart. The Everharts were one of the oldest wizarding families in Louisiana. Natalie's family home was a restored plantation built before the Civil War. It was situated near the Mississippi River and Hermione was amazed at how close they were to the mighty river. The house was huge for only Natalie's parents and herself. She had one brother, Lenny, but he was away at Louisiana State University for football practice. Natalie's parents met them at the door and Hermione immediately felt right at home. They were so warm and welcoming. She could not get over how this pureblood wizarding family who had a fortune to rival that of the Malfoys could be so down to earth. Natalie was never pretentious and one would never guess that she grew up with "a silver spoon" in her mouth.

Natalie showed her to her room. The room was decorated in the manner of keeping with the tradition of an antebellum home, but had all of the modern conveniences. Hermione hooked up her laptop and started unpacking. When she put everything away, she took a look around and appreciated how beautiful the room was. The walls were painted a very light green and a queen-sized 4-poster bed sat in the middle of the room. It was even fashioned with the mosquito netting used in the last few centuries to keep the pests away. The bathroom was complete with a shower, tub, and huge vanity. Hermione allowed herself to fall on the bed and smiled. She was so happy that she had decided to come here.

She and Natalie explored the grounds. Natalie's father had a gazebo built in the back of the home along with a swimming pool with a fountain. Everything was landscaped with greenery and huge oak trees were everywhere on the large property. Hermione was glad to see the pool. She had taken swimming lessons when she was younger, but it was so rare that she actually was able to use a pool. She was looking forward to it and was thankful that her mother made her purchase swimsuits for her trip. The heat that day was stifling and extremely humid. Natalie asked "Do you want to cool off and swim? The water will be cool, it is climate controlled."

"That would be wonderful. You do not have to twist my arm! I will go up and change." Replied Hermione.

The girls changed into their suits. Hermione was a bit self-conscious to change into the neon pink bikini, but remembered her new attitude. Besides, there were not many people there. It would probably be only her and Natalie. Natalie wore a white string bikini that really set off her tanned complexion. Hermione was pale, but she intended on changing that. She actually tanned easily, but it wasn't often she had a chance to sunbathe. They complimented each other on their suits and Natalie commented she was glad to see that Hermione actually had a body underneath the shapeless clothes she had previously worn. Hermione laughed and playfully punched her friend.

They swam and tanned for the rest of the afternoon. The water was blissfully cool. There were comfortable loungers around the pool. She and Natalie reclined comfortably and allowed the sun to bake their bodies, then jumping in the pool when it was too hot. They decided to go in and get ready for dinner when the sun went down. Natalie was shocked at how quickly Hermione's skin had tanned. She had no tan lines because the swimsuit allowed UV rays to go through. It wasn't the healthiest thing to stay in the sun, but Hermione didn't care, the tan looked good. She was sick of looking like Casper the Ghost.

Natalie's parents had gone out for the evening, so the girls decided to order pizza and stay home. Lenny was coming back the next day and was going to accompany them to New Orleans. Hermione was looking forward to finally be able to explore the charming city. They were going to be staying at one of the oldest and most elegant hotels, Le Pavillon. The hotel was supposedly haunted, but ghosts did not bother Hermione especially after dealing with Peeves at Hogwarts. The girls ate their dinner and the conversation flowed. Of course, this led to boy talk. Natalie was curious to know what Ron looked like, so Hermione produced a Hogwarts yearbook and looked at it together. When they got to Ron's picture, Natalie started laughing.

"What is the matter with you?" Hermione asked in a laughing manner.

"Hermione, I just cannot believe this is who you have been pining for the last few years. I mean, he isn't horribly disfigured, but he is borderline fugly." Replied Natalie.

"Okay, what the hell is fugly? Asked Hermione.

"Well, it means not just ugly, but fucking ugly!" Natalie howled with laughter.

"That is just so wrong and mean, but I am going to have to remember fugly. I am sure I will be able to utilize that term in the future." Hermione laughed too.

Looking at Ron's picture made Hermione realize how much she did not miss him. She actually felt nothing. It was a welcome change. They looked through the yearbook some more and Natalie stopped at one picture of the Slytherin Quidditch team and said, "Wow, who is that? If you had to pine for someone, he should look like this!"

Hermione could not believe that she was staring at Draco Malfoy. As she looked at the picture, she had to admit to herself that Draco was quite good-looking, but his attitude was awful. She explained to Natalie the relationship she and her friends had with Draco over the past few years. Natalie was appalled at the "mudblood" comments. It was beyond her how some people could be so narrow minded and prejudiced.

"I guess this is a case of not judging a book by its cover. He is a very attractive cover to look at despite being such a supreme asshole! Have you and he ever, you know?" Asked Natalie.

"Uhh, no! He is unbearable and arrogant. I try to stay out of his way and ignore him. I will be quite pleased if he doesn't return to Hogwarts." Answered Hermione.

"I keep forgetting that you have to return for your final year. I cannot wait to go to the muggle university. " Said Natalie. Natalie had been accepted at Louisiana State University and planned to start in the fall. Her parents felt it was important to experience different worlds.

"Are you looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?" asked Natalie.

"Sure, I enjoy school. I think it will be good to get back into a routine of attending classes, but you know what? I am not spending all my time in the library and studying. I intend on making the most of my last year there. Everyone thinks I am so prim and proper; I want to break out of that. I mean, I don't want to be the school slut, but I need to loosen up. Am I making any kind of sense?" said Hermione.

"You are making perfect sense. I totally understand where you are coming from. From what I have seen and heard from you since your arrival, I think you are well on your way to changing your classmates view of you." Said Natalie.

They talked into the night and finally made it to bed after midnight. Hermione slept very soundly and wondered what the next day would bring.

**The next chapter will be taking them into the city of New Orleans. What will await Hermione there? **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer:** ** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter. Love the reviews and the alerts, makes my heart sing and my fingers type!**

Natalie and Hermione woke up early the next morning. They were excited to go to New Orleans and could not wait for Lenny to arrive. They were sitting on the front porch having Pop-Tarts for breakfast, when a red 4-wheel drive truck came up the driveway. The truck stopped and two young men jumped out. The taller one of the two yelled "Good morning! Get your asses in the truck so we can go party!" Natalie rolled her eyes and told Hermione, "Looks like you have just met Lenny."

While Natalie was dark-haired and had a tan complexion, Lenny was blond, had a light complexion and green eyes. He stood at 6'4 and was muscular, not an ounce of fat anywhere. It was no wonder that he played on Louisiana State University's football team's defense. Natalie introduced his friend as Matt Credeur. Matt was about 6'2 and leaner than Lenny. He had light brown hair and blue eyes. He also played for LSU's football team on offense. Hermione noticed him and Natalie staring at each other. Lenny and Matt went inside the house to speak to Mr. and Mrs. Dupre while the girls got their bags together.

"Okay, do you have something going with Matt?" asked Hermione.

"Not yet, but I am hoping to. He has wanted to ask me out, but he is Lenny's best friend and he is not sure how Lenny will like him dating me." Replied Natalie.

"I could tell there was something brewing between you two. Those smoldering looks you were sending each other, sheesh!" laughed Hermione.

"Seriously, Hermione. Come on you nut, let's get going!" said Natalie as she shook her head and laughed too.

Lenny's truck was a crew cab, so there was plenty of room for four people. The guys sat in front, while Hermione and Natalie lounged in the back. It took about half-an-hour to arrive at their destination. The mood was jovial and they discussed what they planned to do. They made it to Le Pavillon and Hermione was in awe of the place. She had a sense of déjà vu. It had to be that she had seen this place in her dreams and the image stayed in her subconscious. She was beginning to realize that she was meant to come to this exact hotel. She wondered what drew her here. The girls checked into their room and started to unpack. Lenny and Matt had the room next door. When they were almost finished putting away their items, someone banged on the door.

"It could only be Lenny. That boy is always in a hurry." Said Natalie.

They set off to explore New Orleans. The city was hot and noisy, but it had so much character. Hermione could see why this city was one of the top tourist destinations. There was so much history and it was if every old building that still stood, wanted to tell its story. Despite the heat, Hermione felt a small chill. They stepped into an antique shop and looked around. Hermione admired an armoire, while the others were looking at valuable baseball cards. She walked further into the store and stopped at a huge painting that took up almost a whole wall. The painting was of a Creole woman. She wore a white turban with a black dress and a light brown shawl embroidered with red flowers. The woman's eyes seemed to be staring at her. Hermione did not hear the owner of the shop walk up behind you.

"It never fails; someone always gets caught up in this portrait." Said the owner.

Hermione turned and smiled at the woman and asked, "Who is she?"

"Why, none other than the Queen of Voodoo, Ms. Marie Laveau." Said the owner.

"That is why this painting is so familiar. I have read many books that mention her, but there were never portraits of her that were this detailed." Said Hermione as she continued to be mesmerized by the painting. She heard Natalie calling her, so she thanked the shop owner and met up with her friends. They walked back out into the heat and the conversation flowed, but Hermione could not stop thinking about the painting.

After having lunch at Café du Monde, they made their way back to the hotel. There was a swimming pool, so they decided to spend the afternoon cooling off in the pool. Hermione was apprehensive about wearing a bikini in public, but she thought about how she wanted to shed her goody-goody image. She threw a T-shirt over the bikini and pushed her feet into a pair of flip-flops. She and Natalie walked over to the pool and smiled when they saw Matt and Lenny were already there swimming. Hermione removed her T-shirt and noticed Lenny giving her an appreciative stare. She blushed and noticed Natalie was smiling.

"Yes, my brother was totally checking you out."

"Maybe I should change into a one-piece, wearing a bikini is difficult to get used to." Said Hermione.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately? You look good, work it baby!" said Natalie.

"You are too kind!" laughed Hermione. This was new territory for her. She never really was one to have guys pay attention to her. As she took a seat next to Natalie, she noticed other men checking her and her friend out. This was going to take some getting used to.

They decided to join Lenny and Matt in the pool. She smiled at Lenny and he smiled back. Natalie and Matt were trying to dunk each other, so she and Lenny joined in the fun. Hermione looked around her and thought to herself that this is where she needed to be. She was having the time of her life. What the hell was she thinking spending every summer at The Burrows? She could not imagine why she and Ginny would sit there and watch Ron and Harry practice their Quidditch maneuvers. There truly was a whole other world to explore.

They stayed in and around the pool for about two hours and decided to go back to their rooms to prepare for their evening out. Hermione was a bit apprehensive about being too young to enter the different taverns, but Natalie assured her they could quickly glamour their ID's to show that they were of age. She could not get over how fearless Natalie was. It was so refreshing to hang out with someone who was not obsessing over trivial things like Ginny and the other girls who attended Hogwarts. She wondered if she should even return to Hogwarts. Maybe Natalie and Lenny had the right idea by attending a muggle university. She was planning on applying to muggle universities in England, but she was thinking the United States had plenty of great options too. "What the fuck" was kicking in. This trip was definitely giving her food for thought.

It was a very balmy summer evening, so the girls wore light sundresses. Both were unaware of how cute and flirty they looked. They applied each other's makeup and were happy with the results. Natalie was having so much fun with Hermione. She was really glad that Hermione accepted her invitation. For some reason, she felt close to Hermione even though they had only met a few times and mainly corresponded through emails. It was as if they were meant to meet. Hermione was like the sister she never had.

Lenny and Matt met them in the lobby and they went out to dinner. The guys were dressed casually in T-shirts and cargo shorts. She noticed that Lenny eyed her appreciatively and was not embarrassed when she caught him looking. Natalie and Matt were sneaking looks at each other and Hermione wondered if they were going to get together.

They had dinner at the Bourbon House restaurant. Hermione loved the atmosphere of it. Everyone was so courteous and the crowd was happy. It was Saturday night in New Orleans and there was excitement in the air. She had never been in a city that was so much fun. When the bill arrived, she wanted to pay, but Lenny and Natalie would not hear of it. They said it was their treat and they enjoyed her company and wanted to show her a good time.

"Okay, where should we go first?" asked Lenny as they exited the restaurant.

"How about we go to Tipitina's? Bonerama is playing tonight." Replied Natalie.

"Cool, I think Hermione will enjoy seeing them. Have you heard of Bonerama? They are a brass funk band. It is amazing what those guys do with horns. They even play Led Zeppelin songs." Said Lenny.

"I have never heard of Bonerama. Led Zeppelin, yes. My dad has all of their albums." Said Hermione.

"Matt, are you up for it?" asked Lenny.

"Dude, I am up for anything as long as there is cold beer!" replied Matt.

Lenny laughed and said, "It's settled, Tipitina's it is."

The group walked to Tipitina's in the French Quarter. Bonerama played to a packed house. Lenny and Hermione danced a few times, and then he danced with other girls. Hermione was a little shocked when she was asked to dance. One guy showed her how to jitterbug. She stepped on his feet a few times, but he only laughed. It was not every day he had the pleasure of teaching a beautiful British girl how to dance. She would keep looking for Natalie and it was not hard to spot her. She and Matt stayed together the whole time, whether it was on the dance floor or at the bar. Hermione never felt so free. It was so easy to let loose in this laidback atmosphere. It had never occurred to her that dances or balls in the wizarding world were so stifling, but after experiencing this, she realized how boring it was at Hogwarts. Yeah, not going back to school for her final year was looking better and better.

As the evening winded down, the band began playing a slow ballad. Lenny made his way back to Hermione and they danced the last dance.

"I saved the best for last." Said Lenny.

Hermione blushed and said, "I'm glad."

He tilted her face up towards him and said "You are so cute, I love the way you blush."

She laughed and said, "Stop, I am embarrassed enough as it is."

He smiled and pulled her closer. It was such an unfamiliar feeling to be so close to a guy besides Ron. Lenny was a total hunk. He smelled good and was oh so easy on the eyes. Hermione may not have been that experienced with boys and men, but she knew a "player" when she spotted one. Lenny was definitely in that category, but she decided it would be fun to enjoy the moment.

Hermione was surprised that she had stayed out so late. They were there until closing time at 2 a.m. She and Lenny did not have much to drink, but Matt and Natalie were hammered. They had to almost carry them back to the hotel. Natalie was singing a very drunken version of Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory." Hermione was never going to let her live that one down. They finally made it back and Lenny helped her get Natalie to bed. He assured Hermione that he would be able to take care of Matt. Before he went back to his room, he gave her a peck on the cheek and told her he would see her in the morning. Hermione took off Natalie's shoes and tucked her in. She yawned and realized it was way past her bedtime. She went into the bathroom and prepared for bed. She was going to sleep well.

She got into her bed and was just about to fall asleep when she felt that there was someone in the room besides her and Natalie. She noticed a figure approaching her, but she did not feel scared or compelled to scream. The figure was a woman. Hermione had left the light on in the bathroom and as the woman came closer, she realized who she was.

The woman approached her at her bed and asked, "May I sit down?"

Hermione was surprised that she was even able to speak and she told her yes.

It was the woman she saw in the painting at the antique store. Marie Laveau.

She smiled at Hermione and said, "You recognize me."

Hermione nodded and said "Yes, you are Marie Laveau. It is an honor Ms. Laveau, but I am confused as to why you are here."

"Hermione Granger, I have been watching you for the last few years. It is no accident that you are here. Did you feel drawn to New Orleans?"

"Yes, I did and could not figure out why. That was you?" asked Hermione.

"It was partly me, but your friend Natalie helped out a little to get you here." Said Marie.

Hermione was in awe of Marie Laveau. She was stunning, with her lovely café au lait complexion and delicate features. She wondered why she was in her room and if this was all some bizarre dream.

"Ah, my sweet girl, you wonder why I am here. I can assure you it is not a dream; I have a message for you. Why don't we go take a walk in my lovely city? You can come as you are, no one can see us." Said Marie and she put her hand out to Hermione.

Hermione took her hand and the next thing she knew they were outside on the street. It was very quiet and no one was out. Marie linked her arm with Hermione's and they began to walk.

"Oh, how I love my city at this time of the night. Are you enjoying your visit?" asked Marie.

"Yes, I am. It was a welcome change; I am glad that I am here." Answered Hermione.

It was all very surreal, but Hermione did not feel weird. She realized this is why she was so drawn to New Orleans. Fate intervened and this was meant to happen.

"I supposed you want to know why I appeared to you." Said Marie.

"Yes, ma'am. I know who you are and wonder why you would want to speak to me. I am only an ordinary witch, surely nothing close to being the Queen of Voodoo." Said Hermione.

Marie laughed and said, "Child, please call me Marie. You are no ordinary witch, Hermione. I have watched you over the years and you have faced evil like I have never seen. People in your world have plenty to be thankful for what you, Harry and Ron did. It hurt me to see that you do not realize how wonderful and powerful you are. That is part of the reason I wanted to speak to you."

Hermione was flabbergasted by the Queen of Voodoo giving her so many compliments. She thanked her and they continued walking. She felt like they were on a set of a movie. It was as if the whole city was asleep and they were the only two people that were awake. The streets were lit by streetlights and there was fog that was beginning to roll in.

Marie stopped walking and turned to Hermione. "You have to return to Hogwarts. I know you were having doubts, but you must finish your final year. Your destiny awaits you."

Hermione was taken aback. She had told no one about her doubts of going back to school. This was really getting weird.

"What do you mean my destiny?" asked Hermione.

"I mean that if you do not return to Hogwarts, you will pass up a chance for lifelong happiness and the love of your life." Answered Marie.

"Love of my life? Lifelong happiness? I cannot see that at Hogwarts. I always thought Ron was the love of my life, but that did not turn out so well." Said Hermione.

Marie grimaced and said, "Ron Weasley, that boy is in a class by himself and I don't mean that in a good way. You were never meant to be with him."

Hermione asked, "Well, who am I meant to be with?" She could not imagine any boy at Hogwarts she was even remotely interested in. It was always Ron.

"You will figure it out once you are back at school. Well, time for us to go back. We may see each other again." Said Marie.

Next thing Hermione knew, she was back in her bed at the hotel. She looked around her and saw that Natalie had never stirred and was snoring away. She did not know what to make of what just happened to her. She had had so many strange things happen to her in the last few years, so this did not seem that unusual. At that moment, she put aside her doubts of returning to Hogwarts. If Marie was right, her 7th year was going to be quite compelling. Love of her life? Maybe there was going to be a hot new guy attending Hogwarts. She could not imagine any of the boys in her year that would be the love of her life. She finally fell asleep while giggling about someone like Neville Longbottom being her "destiny".

**School will soon be in session again for Hermione and the gang. Looks like Marie Laveau convinced her to go back. She should soon be returning to London and more adventures await her! Hope you are all enjoying it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything Harry Potter! **

**Thank you, thank you for reading and reviewing!**

She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and still thinking about Marie Laveau. Natalie rolled out of bed not long after and had to run to the bathroom. Hermione shook her head and checked on her friend. Natalie gave her a very pitiful look and asked if she could get her hangover potion out of her cosmetics case. She found it and brought it to Natalie. Natalie gulped it down and sat against the cool tiles covering the bathroom wall.

"Oh, I am never drinking again!" moaned Natalie.

"Hmm, famous last words. You'll be up for it again tonight." Replied Hermione.

"You're probably right. I am starting to feel better already. Did you have fun last night? I was a bit occupied with Matt." Said Natalie.

"Yes, I noticed you were busy with Matt. I had a great time. I danced with Lenny a few times and other guys asked me to dance too." Replied Hermione.

"What is up with you and Lenny?" asked Natalie.

"Not a thing, we danced a few times and that was it. I think Lenny is nice, but that was as far as it went last night." Answered Hermione.

Natalie smiled and said, "Are you sure? He is always checking you out. Watch out, I think he has a crush on you."

Hermione punched in the arm playfully and said, "Lenny is a nice guy and he just wants to make sure your friend has fun. That is all it is."

"If you say so, but I will not be surprised he puts the moves on you. Be ready and on alert. I know my brother well." Said Natalie.

The girls prepared for the day. They decided to sightsee a little more. There were still many places Hermione did not get a chance to see. She was looking forward to it. Just as they were done dressing, there was a loud knock on the door and of course it was Lenny. Hermione opened the door and he stepped in followed by Matt.

"Morning Sister dear. Did you sleep well? Do you even remember us helping you into bed?" asked Lenny.

"Lay off Lenny. I slept very well thank you. Let's go, I need breakfast." Replied Natalie.

Lenny shook his head and said, "I am shocked you and Matt are even up and about."

Matt and Natalie looked at each other and rolled their eyes. How many times was Lenny in the same situation and they made sure he made it home in one piece after a crazy night out on the town. Natalie figured he was trying to act like butter would not melt in his mouth to make Hermione think he was angelic. She thought to herself that Lenny is far from being an angel that is for damn sure. Natalie noticed the gleam in his eyes when he was checking Hermione's ass out in the fitted khaki shorts she wore that day. Hermione will not know what hit her when Hurricane Lenny decides to strike.

The group ate a quick breakfast in the hotel's dining area. The guys wanted to check out a sports memorabilia shop. Natalie and Hermione were not interested, so they decided to split up and agreed to meet for lunch. The girls made their way to the Jax Brewery to check out the different retail stores. On their way there, Hermione stopped to look at a display window of a jewelry store. There was a delicate gold chain with a gold charm which resembled a tooth.

"Pretty, it looks so dainty. Let's go inside and ask to see it." Said Natalie.

Hermione figured there was no harm in looking, but she had no intention of buying anything.

They went inside and the sales clerk pulled the necklace out of the display case. It was even more beautiful close-up. The clerk said that the tooth was a replica of an alligator tooth. Hermione's breath caught when he said that it was part of their Marie Laveau collection. Natalie noticed and gave her an odd look.

"It is really gorgeous. How much is it?" asked Natalie.

"It is $500 and it has been one of our most popular items." Answered the sales clerk.

Natalie sighed and said, "Let me think about it. I will probably be back."

"Sure thing. Thank you for stopping by. You girls have a good day." Said the sales clerk.

They exited the store and Natalie immediately asked Hermione about her reaction to the necklace.

"I noticed you were acting a little weird when the clerk mentioned Marie Laveau." Said Natalie.

Hermione stopped walking and said, "Well, I had what I guess is a dream about her last night. It just seemed so real, she had a message for me."

"Whoa, you had a vision of The Queen of Voodoo?" exclaimed Natalie.

"Keep it down, I don't want people to think I am bonkers!" answered Hermione.

"Honey, you are in New Orleans. I assure you no one will notice. Okay, start from the beginning, this is great." Said Natalie.

"She was in our room and I was not afraid. It was like I knew her. We walked around the Quarter and talked. She said that I needed to return to Hogwarts because it was my destiny and the love of my life is there."

"That is really something. I live here my whole life and have not dreamt of her once and you are only here for a few days and voila! I am glad for you, but she is really a big deal at my school. Our instructors claim that if she comes to you, you must be a powerful witch or wizard. This is pretty amazing. You need to heed her words. One thing though, I sure hope the love of your life isn't fugly Ron!" Natalie said as she was laughing.

"That is too funny! I mentioned that and she assured me it wasn't him. I have no clue who it could be and why it is so important to go back to school. I hadn't mentioned it to you, but I was having second thoughts about going back for my 7th year. I was thinking of applying to muggle universities. I thought it would be a welcome change, but I will make the best out of my last year at Hogwarts. College can wait another year." Replied Hermione.

"Please tell me that you will apply to Louisiana State University? You definitely have the grades and we would have such an awesome time!" Natalie said excitedly.

"Maybe I will. This change of scenery has been wonderful so far." Said Hermione.

Natalie smiled and linked arms with Hermione. People in the quarter smiled as the two friends walked by. They looked so happy and carefree. They made it to the Jax Brewery and found a few outfits. Hermione bought a distressed blue jean miniskirt that looked great. Natalie bought one too.

They caught up with the guys and had lunch, then headed back to the hotel where they frolicked in the pool for the rest of the afternoon. It was going to be their last night in the city. Lenny and Matt had to go back to LSU for football practice. Hermione was going to spend a few more days with Natalie and then head back to London. Lenny had made reservations at Broussard's Restaurant. Natalie told Hermione about the delicious seafood entrees; she could not wait to try one.

The girls prepared for their evening out and did each other's hair and makeup. Natalie was amazed at how Hermione managed to tame her hair. Hermione showed her Sebastian's products. Natalie opened one of the containers containing a waxy substance and sniffed.

"Hmm, you sure your boy Sebastian isn't a wizard? This does not smell like a run of the mill hair product." Said Natalie.

Hermione was thoughtful and replied, "Not that I am aware of, but his products have done wonders for my hair. There could be some magic involved to have tamed this wild mess!"

Satisfied with their beauty routine, they dressed for the evening. Natalie wore a strapless navy blue dress that was fitted at the top and flared at the bottom. She slipped her feet into a pair of strappy sandals of the same color as the dress. Hermione wore a sleeveless dark pink lace eyelet blouse with a short zebra print skirt. She wore this outfit with zebra printed wedges. She had to laugh at herself; it was only a few weeks ago that she would have never imagined wearing an outfit like that.

They met Lenny and Matt downstairs. As they stepped out of the elevator, both men whistled. The girls just laughed and they went to dinner. The dinner was great, conversation and wine flowed. Lenny told Hermione how glad he was to have met her. He and Matt had spoken earlier and agreed this was one of the best times they ever had in New Orleans. After dinner, they decided to bring Hermione to the tourist hot spots, Preservation Hall and Pat O'Brien's. She was glad to finally be able to sample Pat O'Brien's world famous Hurricane drink. It was quite tasty. They were seated and listening to the house band, when Natalie said she was a little tired and would go back to the room. Hermione got up to go with her and she told her not to worry and to enjoy her evening. Matt said he would go with Natalie so she would not have to walk alone.

As soon as they left, Lenny started laughing. He said, "My sister is so transparent. Like we cannot figure out they are going back to the hotel for a booty call! I knew she had a thing for Matt!"

Hermione was a bit embarrassed since she actually believed that Natalie was tired and Matt was just being a gentleman. She told Lenny, "I have to admit I wondered if there was something between them. I think they were afraid you would not approve."

Lenny replied, "Well, Matt has been my friend since we were eight years old and knows Natalie well. He knows what he is getting into and she could do much worse. Believe me, she has! No, I will be glad if it works out, but my sister is a flake. Hey, enough about them. How about a dance?"

Hermione gladly accepted. For such a muscular and tall guy, Lenny was an excellent dancer. He was very smooth and graceful. Hermione thought about the times she danced with Ron. If it was a slow song, he was as stiff as Frankenstein and barely moved. If it was a fast dance, he looked like he jerked around so much; he looked like he was being poked with a cattle prod. Ginny was always making fun of Ron for his dancing, but the sad thing was that he actually thought he was a good dancer. She gave a little shudder thinking about it. Lenny gave her a look of concern and asked if she was cold. She assured him she was okay and they continued dancing. She still could not believe that she was dancing with this absolute hunk and having such a wonderful vacation.

She and Lenny walked on Bourbon Street and took in the sights. They decided to go back to the hotel since they were checking out the next morning. Lenny brought Hermione to her room, but when they got there, a Do Not Disturb sign was on the knob. Lenny rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"My sister is a piece of work. I'm sorry about this. You can come back to my room. I hope you aren't uncomfortable." Said Lenny.

Hermione smiled and patted his arm. She said, "It's okay, I'll be fine. I am warning you, I might fall asleep though."

Lenny smiled back and they went back to his room. As they walked in, he picked up clothing that was thrown on the chair and sofa. He laughed and excused himself. Hermione did not care; she was used to guys being a little messy, especially after spending time with the Weasleys. She was a little surprised at how comfortable she was with Lenny. She supposed it was because he was Natalie's brother. They both had a way of making people feel at ease. He offered her something to drink and she accepted a bottle of water. She was not used to drinking alcohol, so the water was refreshing. She and Lenny sat on the sofa and started talking about Hogwarts and his school. It got a little quiet and Lenny pushed back a strand of her hair that lay on her cheek. She looked at him and noticed he was very close to her. He tilted his head and kissed her softly. It was such a nice kiss. The only kisses she had ever received were from Ron and he was so sloppy. She always felt like a St. Bernard had slobbered all over her face after a snogging session with Ron. Lenny was completely different. She knew he was not serious about her, but decided it would be fun and this moment fell into the "what the fuck" category.

Lenny enjoyed the kiss. Hermione was a beautiful girl and he wanted to kiss her since the moment he met her. She tasted so sweet. Their kissing became a little more intense, so they had to stop to catch their breath. He looked down at her and loved the way her lips looked, swollen with his kiss. She was so petite next to him, he was almost afraid he would crush her. He pulled her on his lap and she did not resist.

"Oh wow" Hermione thought to herself. She was so inexperienced. She had no idea kissing could be so hot. She loved the way he brought her onto his lap. She put her arms around his neck and they started kissing again. He had his hands at her waist and she felt one hand reach up and touch her breast. When she didn't resist, he started to rub her nipple through the fabric of her blouse. They kissed more and when Hermione noticed, her blouse was unbuttoned and her bra was undone. Lenny was very quick. They stopped kissing and Lenny looked into her eyes as he removed her blouse and bra and let them fall to the floor.

Hermione was very self-conscious. This was the first time a guy was seeing her breasts. She always wondered if they were on the small side and if that was why Ron or other boys were not attracted to her. She put that thought aside when she saw Lenny's reaction.

"Beautiful, you are a work of art." Said Lenny as he bent his head and took one of her breasts in his mouth. Hermione threw her head back and gave a soft moan. She had butterflies in her stomach and was excited at the same time. She had her hands in Lenny's hair as he suckled on each of her breasts. Lenny removed his shirt and next thing Hermione knew, she was lying underneath him on the sofa. She admired his flat stomach and hard abs. His skin felt amazing when it rubbed on hers. They kissed more and Lenny nibbled her earlobe and kissed her neck. Hermione knew that she was going to have to stop this, but she loved the way she was feeling. Lenny pulled down her skirt and she was only clad in her panties. He had stripped down to his boxer shorts and she could feel his member rubbing on her leg. It was large and very erect. He started to kiss her again, and then she felt him pulling down her underwear. She pushed on his chest and he pulled himself up and looked at her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Hermione had her head down and said, "You are going to think I am such a baby, but I have never done this before."

Lenny said, "You mean this would be your first time?"

Hermione nodded. "I am sorry, I didn't mean for it to get so far, but you are such a good kisser!"

"Oh wow, you don't have to apologize. I am the one that should be apologizing. I feel like I took advantage of you. Hermione, you are a beautiful woman. I know it is wrong to think that way, but I assumed that you were not a virgin. I am so sorry. Let me get your clothes, because I don't trust myself with the way you look right now!"

Hermione was worried that he would think that she was a tease. She was so relieved that he took it so well. She could not believe that she almost went all the way with Lenny. She was going to have to experiment more with guys, but not get so carried away! This was another new experience for her, to actually be desirable especially to a man as hot as Lenny!

"Lenny, it was my fault as much as yours, I am sorry for letting it get so far." Replied Hermione.

Lenny handed her clothes to her and he dressed too. He kissed her on the forehead and she knew that he was okay with everything. Their timing worked out well, for as soon as they were dressed, Matt walked in.

Lenny raised his eyebrows and said, "Well, look what the cat dragged in."

Matt laughed and went to the bedroom. He knew Lenny would never let him live this down.

Lenny walked Hermione back to her room and kissed her softly on the lips. He looked down at her and pulled her into a hug.

As they pulled away, he asked "Is it okay if I get your email address from Natalie? I would like to stay in touch with you. Who knows, Nat and I might make it out to London. Do you think it would be possible for you to come back to watch one of LSU's football games? I think you would enjoy that experience!"

Hermione was floored that he actually wanted to keep in touch with her. She replied, "Sure, I would love to hear from you. It would be great if you and Nat came to London, then I could show you all of the sights! I think it would be awesome to watch you play. I will have to check the schedules for school, but I am sure something could be arranged."

They said goodnight and Hermione got into her room. Natalie was still up and looked like the cat that ate the canary. Hermione threw a pillow at her and said "You whore!" and laughed. Natalie threw one back and said, "Oh and I just bet you and Lenny were discussing quantum physics in his room." Hermione giggled and blushed. Natalie immediately pounced on her.

"What happened? If I know my brother like I think I do, I can about imagine." Said Natalie.

"I must admit, it got a little intense, but we stopped before it got out of hand." Replied Hermione. She wanted to change the subject, so she asked about Matt.

Natalie smiled and said "I never kiss and tell. Let's just say I will be seeing more of Matt in the future."

With that, they prepared for a few hours of sleep. Hermione slept well with no dreams of Marie Laveau. She was a little sad that they were leaving the city. At least she would be able to spend a few more days with Natalie, than it would be back to being bored in London. She wondered if she would ever be able to top the great vacation she was having.

**A little Lenny/Hermione action there. Will it lead to something more? Who knows? She will soon be heading back to London and Hogwarts will be right around the corner. There may be some interaction with Mr. Draco. Bear with me; I assure you he will be there! Thanks again for reading and reviewing!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything Harry Potter!**

**Thank you again for the truly fantastic reviews and for reading. Hermione is finally going back home and on to Hogwarts! I have the story set in the present, hence the references to technology and current music. No time like the present, LOL!**

They checked out of the hotel Sunday morning and headed back to Lenny and Natalie's home. Natalie and Hermione sat in the back of the truck and spoke quietly, sometimes giggling. Hermione could see Lenny looking at her in the rearview mirror, smiling. She was still a little flabbergasted that she landed a hunk like Lenny and still shocked at how she almost lost all control with him!

They arrived back at the Dupres. Mr. and Mrs. Dupre greeted them and they had lunch. Not long after, Lenny and Matt left to head back to LSU. Lenny grabbed Hermione and they went outside.

After a long kiss, Lenny said, "I really had fun. Girl, you are something else! I wish you were staying here, but I know you have to go back."

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Yeah, Hogwarts is calling. Thank you, I had a wonderful time. I will keep in touch that is what email is for!"

They stayed for a short while with their arms wrapped around each other, then separated when they heard Matt yelling for Lenny. It was time to go.

After that, the week flew by and it was Friday morning. Hermione was set to fly back to London that afternoon, so she was packing her belongings. Natalie sat on the bed and watched her with a sad look on her face.

"I am going to miss you so much. We should have done this a long time ago! I wish you were staying here and going to LSU with me!" said Natalie.

Hermione turned to her friend and hugged her. "I am going to miss you so much, but duty at Hogwarts calls. You know, at one time I would have killed to be Head Girl, but after this summer, it is not such a big deal. I cannot wait to be done with this school year. I wish I was going to LSU too!"

Natalie suddenly stood up from the bed and said, "Oh, I almost forgot, I have something for you." She ran to her room and came back with a small gift-wrapped rectangular box. She smiled and handed it to Hermione.

"Nat, what is this?" asked Hermione.

"Open it and find out." Said Natalie.

Hermione unwrapped the gift and was surprised to see that it was the necklace they had admired at the jewelry store. Seeing it again reminded her of how pretty it was, but she could not accept it.

"I can't accept this, this is way too much!" exclaimed Hermione.

"I wanted to give you a little memento from our trip! You will accept it, you deserve it. How many times have I emailed you in the past when I could not figure out a potion or a charm? You always helped me and were always there for me. Take it, it will look great on you!" said Natalie.

She took the necklace out of the box and helped Hermione with the clasp. Hermione was taken aback when she felt or imagined a small surge of electricity when the gold tooth touched her skin. She looked in the mirror and had to admit, the necklace did look good. She was never going to take it off. She finished packing and Natalie brought her to the airport. They promised to try to visit each other during the school year.

Hermione was finally on the way back to London. As she settled in her seat, she realized that she was going to be starting at Hogwarts in a few days. She was glad that she had gone to Diagon Alley before her vacation and bought everything she needed for the new school year. Her trunk was packed and ready to go. She was going to be able to relax and enjoy her weekend before school started on Monday.

She arrived in London and her parents picked her up from the airport. She missed Natalie and Lenny, but it was good to be home again. She settled in and unpacked everything before getting ready for bed. Her mom noticed the necklace right away and loved it. She still felt a tiny jolt if she touched the necklace and wondered what it could be. Her mother touched it and did not have a reaction. It must be her, probably static electricity from hair or something crazy like that. She thought about her hair and realized she needed a trim. She hoped Sebastian could squeeze her in.

She woke up Saturday morning, had a quick shower and breakfast, than headed out for the day to run a few errands. Her first stop was Sebastian's salon. When she saw how busy the salon was, she knew there was no way she was going to be able to get her hair trimmed. Sebastian noticed she was there and came up to her.

"Look who's here! How are you? What can I do for you?" asked Sebastian.

"I am well, thank you. I came in to see if I could get a quick trim, but I see how busy you are." Said Hermione.

He looked around the shop and said, "Come back at about 3:00 p.m. I should be able to work with you at that time."

Hermione was so excited she was able to squeeze in. She left the salon and glanced at her watch. It was only 10:00 a.m., so she had plenty of time. She had no idea of how cute she looked that day. She had thrown on a souvenir T-Shirt from New Orleans and skinny blue jeans with a pair of black slip-on Keds. She had fixed her hair in a ponytail and had on an LSU cap and wore a pair of vintage black Ray-Bans. Men and boys smiled and gave her appreciative looks, but she paid them no mind. She was on her way to the bookstore in Diagon Alley. She was in the mood for new reading material.

She made it to Diagon Alley and it was full of young witches and wizards running around. She mentally slapped her forehead. She had forgotten that it was the last weekend before school started, so everyone was here getting last minute items for Hogwarts. She made her way through the crowd and headed to the bookstore. She had no idea that she was being scrutinized.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He wasn't too thrilled about having to go back to Hogwarts for his final year, but his parents thought it would look good for they were trying to repair their reputation after being so closely associated with Voldemort. He was also selected as Head Boy and his mother, Narcissa, was so proud. Lucius had such a sense of entitlement and said Malfoys should always be at the top. Draco's father still had twisted views on muggle born wizards and witches, along with half-bloods and squibs. Draco no longer felt this way, he realized during the war how wrong his father was for having those thoughts and trying to force them down his throat since he was a small child. Draco was a changed man.

Why did he wait until the last minute to get everything he needed for Hogwarts? He supposed he wanted to put it off as long as he could, but before he knew it, the first day of school was right around the corner. He had purchased everything and had it sent back to Malfoy Manor so he would not be burdened with packages. He was about to apparate to go home, when something quite fetching caught his eye. He watched the back of a girl clad in tight jeans which made her ass look quite appealing. He wondered who she was and liked that she was in muggle clothing in Diagon Alley. Was she a new student? She looked to be his age. He tried to look at her face, but she had on sunglasses and some sort of cap on head. What the hell was LSU? He saw her enter the bookstore and was about to follow her when he heard his name being called.

It was Blaise Zabini. He and Draco shook hands. Blaise was Draco's best friend. They had not seen each other all summer, for Blaise and his family had vacationed in Italy. Draco was glad to meet up with his friend, but a little disappointed he was not going to be able to follow that alluring creature. Who was she?

He and Blaise had lunch and he kept looking around to see if she was in the area, but it was as if she had disappeared. Blaise noticed Draco seemed to be preoccupied.

"What's up with you? Are you looking for someone?" asked Blaise.

"Actually, I am. I spotted this gorgeous witch before I met up with you. You would not believe what a babe this girl was." Said Draco.

"Really? Are you sure it wasn't someone from school?" asked Blaise.

"I don't think so, I would have known if this girl had gone to school with us. I wanted to find out if she was new, but I seem to have lost sight of her." Said Draco.

"Interesting that you are on the prowl again. Are you and Pansy on the "outs"? said Blaise.

"Man, Pansy and I were never a "thing" as far as I am concerned. She was fine for a quick shag, but the girl has the intellectual capacity of a flea. I am ready for someone new and I don't mean any of the Hogwarts girls." Said Draco.

"Merlin knows you have been through almost every witch in Slytherin's house. Since you are on the lookout for a new victim, I am going out tonight to a new muggle club that just opened. Are you in?" said Blaise.

"Sure, why not. I might find someone to quench the fire in my loins." Said Draco jokingly.

He and Blaise laughed and continued their lunch. He still could not get the girl he saw earlier out of his mind. Who was she?

Hermione browsed in the bookstore and found a few books she was interested in. She made her purchases and wandered into a few other stores. She bought a few last minute items she could use at school. She was shocked when she saw it was already 2:45 p.m. She left Diagon Alley and made her way back to Sebastian's salon. When she arrived, she noticed that almost everyone had gone. Sebastian was doing the final touches on a woman's hair.

"Hey, sweetie! Have a seat, I will be right with you."

Hermione sat and read a magazine. She was only there for a few minutes when Sebastian finished and his customer left. He locked the door behind her and put switched the OPEN sign to CLOSED.

"Sebastian, I can come back. I didn't realize you were done for the day." Hermione said.

"Don't be silly. I wanted to visit with you and I really could not talk to you with everyone in the salon. I will get straight to the point. Are you glad to be going back to Hogwarts?" Sebastian asked.

Hermione was taken aback and she said, "Wait, how did you know about that?"

"Hermione, I am muggle-born like you. I attended Hogwarts quite a few years ago. That nasty piece of business, Voldemort, was taking over when I decided to come back to the muggle world. Can you imagine what would have happened to me, gay and muggle-born?" Sebastian said.

Natalie was right, thought Hermione. Sebastian was a wizard! "Sebastian, this is so awesome. I rarely meet up with anyone from Hogwarts in the muggle world! Why did you decide to tell me?"

Sebastian was thoughtful and he said, "When you came into the shop, I noticed you seemed a little down, like I was as a teenager. I wish I would have had someone to talk to. I am glad to see that you seem much happier since the last time you were in the shop. I guess I want to be a mentor of sorts to you. I know this will be you last year at Hogwarts and you should make the most of it. I think you are struggling to decide if you want to stay in the wizarding world or the muggle world. I am quite happy in the muggle world, but I still venture back to visit my mother now and then."

"Thanks that would be great. You hit the nail on the head about me deciding what world I want to be in. This is such a shock!" Hermione said.

"Yes, I am a wizard, but don't tell anyone! Those crazy bitches I have for customers would never leave me alone. Some of them need more than magic to deal with their bad hair days!" Sebastian said as he giggled.

"Your secret is safe with me." Hermione said.

He decided to start off by washing her hair, then he brought her to his station and trimmed her hair, adding a little style. He was pleased with how his products were working. They chatted amicably and spoke about everything under the sun. He was like the older sister Hermione never had! He finished and she was pleased with the results. Her hair was shiny and fell down her back in smooth rivulets. It fell just past her shoulder blades. She had gotten rid of quite a few inches of hair the first time he trimmed it and her hair looked much healthier. The frizz was nowhere to be found.

"Did you have plans for tonight?" Sebastian asked.

"Well, I was going to stay home and read one of the books I picked up today in Diagon Alley." Hermione answered.

"Boring! All work and no play make Hermione a dull girl. You are coming out with me tonight. There is a new club I am dying to check out. I just love to dance!" Sebastian exclaimed.

She laughed and said, "Okay, you twisted my arm. I will need to let my parents know and I have to go home and change. I can't go like this."

"I will call your mother and let her know you are with me. She knows you will be as safe as a kitten with me. As for clothes, come with me. I have a whole closet of "clubbing" clothes. My models wore these for the last hair convention. I know we will find something that will fit your adorable figure." Sebastian said.

Hermione heard Sebastian scream and ran to see what was going on. He was standing in the huge walk-in closet and had a black leather corset with a black miniskirt.

"This is perfect for tonight! Try it on, I cannot wait to see how you look." Sebastian exclaimed.

"I cannot wear this out in public! What will people think?" Hermione asked.

"They will think you are a sexy woman and built like a brick house." Sebastian replied. He started singing "Brick House" by The Commodores.

She's a brick-house

Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out

She's a brick-house

The lady's stacked and that's a fact,

ain't holding nothing back.

Hermione laughed and took the outfit from Sebastian. This was definitely another "what the fuck" moment. She figured no one she knew was going to see her, so why not wear the outfit. She tried it on and it fit like a glove. It was one of the most provocative and daring outfits she would probably ever wear.

She came out and Sebastian whistled.

"That is kick ass! I will have to beat the men off with a stick, you look hot! Have a seat and I will do your makeup."

Who would have thought Sebastian was so much fun? Hermione felt like she had known him for years. They had quite a few things in common, including a love for books. He was a very intelligent man which was refreshing for her. Most of her classmates at Hogwarts thought of her as a bookworm. She was glad to meet someone here who was on the same wavelength.

They ordered Chinese food and ate before going out. They did not leave until 10:00 p.m. because that was when the evening really started. Sebastian asked if she was ready. She replied that she was as ready as she would ever be. They walked out the back of the salon and Hermione expected to see an automobile. She could not believe that Sebastian drove a huge Harley Davidson motorcycle.

"You should see the look on your face! Come on, it will fun. Add this to your list of adventures for the summer." Sebastian said laughingly. Hermione had told him a little about Lenny, but she didn't go into too much detail! He handed Hermione a helmet.

Hermione took a deep breath and thought, "Sometimes you gotta say what the fuck!"

She climbed on the back of the huge motorcycle and held on for dear life as Sebastian roared out of the parking lot.

Draco wondered if this evening was going to be a complete waste of time, but he did not have anything better to do, so he decided he would join Blaise. It was going to be his first time a muggle club and he had no idea what it was going to be like. He had started to listen to some muggle music and found out he enjoyed it. He apparated to Blaise's home and they set off for the club.

Hermione and Sebastian made it to the club in one piece. After riding a few miles, Hermione found that she enjoyed the motorcycle. She was almost sad when they stopped, but she was curious about the club. This was going to be her first time going out in London. The doorman waved to Sebastian and called him by name. They were ushered in ahead of the line of people waiting to get in. Sebastian told her the club owner and his wife were clients, hence the reason they were let in so quickly. Hermione nodded and took in the club. There were strobe lights everywhere and the music was pumping. Sebastian grabbed her hand and they headed to the dance floor. He was an awesome dancer and she was glad. He showed her a few moves. No one would suspect that they were not a couple. They moved so well together and looked like they were enjoying themselves.

The club had two levels. Draco and Blaise were on the second level watching the dance floor. Draco had spotted a few women he liked and was thinking of which one to approach, when he saw her.

"Oh shit, that's her!" Draco said.

"Who are you talking about?" asked Blaise.

"The witch I was telling you about earlier today. Look, there she is on the dance floor with the tall, bald guy." Draco replied.

Blaise whistled and said, "I see what you mean. She is a looker, but that must be her boyfriend. Look at the way they are dancing."

Hermione had her hands wrapped around Sebastian's neck and they were gyrating to the music. She threw her head back and laughed with glee. She was having the time of her life. Suddenly, "Loca People" by Sak Noel started playing. Hermione could not believe the main line in the song was "What the fuck!" Oh yeah, this was totally her theme song. It was too perfect.

Sebastian could not get over how much fun Hermione was and such a good dancer partner. He decided that he was thirsty and told Hermione he was going to the bar. She decided to stay on the dance floor; she loved the beat of the music. Draco noticed the man leave the dance floor and figured this was his chance. He smirked at Blaise as he made his way to the first level. Blaise laughed to himself. It was going to be interesting watching Draco in action.

Hermione was dancing when she felt strong hands grab her hips and move along with her to the music. She was a bit shocked that Sebastian grabbed her that way, but decided to go along with it. It actually felt nice.

"Back so soon? Sebastian, you keep dancing with me like this, people will think you are straight!" Hermione said.

She felt lips against her ear and a soft voice ask, "Who's Sebastian?"

She slowly turned around and came face to face with Draco Malfoy! Oh, this is not good. She braced herself for the ugly comments when he realized who she was. He was smiling and his eyes were roaming up her body. When his eyes met her face, realization hit. The smile faded and a shocked look came over his face.

"Granger? I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." He quickly exited the dance floor and made his way back to Blaise. Since when did the Gryffindor Princess hang out in clubs and dress that way? Who knew she had such a smoking bod underneath her school robes. Why wasn't she with the rest of the Golden Trio? She was actually out on a date with a much older man.

Sebastian joined her on the dance floor and noticed Hermione shaking her head and laughing. She told him what happened with Draco and explained who he was. Sebastian threw his head back and laughed too. They continued to dance and she was able to point out Draco to Sebastian.

"Not bad, he looks good. Too bad he is such an arsehole!" Sebastian said.

"That he is. I could not believe he didn't recognize me at first. The look on his face when he realized who I was! Priceless." Hermione replied.

Blaise was waiting for Draco, he witnessed the whole thing. "What happened mate? She turned you down? I told you she was with someone."

"Dude, the girl is Granger!" Draco exclaimed.

"No way! Let me look again. Damn, I would never have thought I would see Granger dancing in a club and wearing an outfit like that. I am truly shocked." Blaise replied.

"You're shocked? I am the one that was putting the moves on her. I will never live this down." Draco said.

"Your secret is safe with me and I doubt Granger will want anyone to know." Blaise chuckled.

They decided to call it a night and head home. As they exited the club, Hermione and Sebastian were leaving too. They guys hung back and watched as the couple climbed on a huge motorcycle. The engine roared to life and Sebastian gunned it a few times. They sped past Draco and Blaise. They watched with open mouths as Hermione clung to Sebastian. What in Merlin's name was going on with Hermione Granger? It was going to be an interesting year at Hogwarts to say the least.

**Okay, Draco finally showed up! We are almost at Hogwarts and time for the rest of the student body to get a load of the new and improved Hermione. Thank you to all of you for the helpful suggestions. Love the reviews, thanks again! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter!**

Hermione woke up on Sunday morning at Sebastian's house. She could smell bacon cooking and her stomach was growling. Last night was the best. She still could not get over Malfoy trying to hit on her. Too funny. She would have never imagined in a million years that Sebastian was so much fun to hang around with and on his way to becoming one of her best friends. She would never forget how exciting this summer was. She was a little sad that she had to go back to Hogwarts the next day, but duty called.

She had breakfast with Sebastian and the morning went by quickly. She changed back into her clothes and was about to head home when Sebastian stopped her.

"I almost forgot I still have some Hogwarts memorabilia. Some of it might be useful." Sebastian said.

He had a small box and was looking through it. He smiled when he found a crumpled document that was brown with age. It looked similar to the Marauder Map Harry had. When he flattened the paper out on the table, Hermione realized what it was.

"Wow, I thought this map was an old wive's tale! This shows all the hidden floo networks and apparation points. So, it actually exists." Hermione exclaimed.

"It does and I used it plenty. I was always going back to London. Oh, those were the days. I want you to have it so you can sneak away from Hogwarts!" Sebastian said with a mischievous look.

"This is so cool. I wonder if any of these are still there since Hogwarts was rebuilt. It shouldn't be difficult to cast charms and find out where they are. Imagine that, Hermione the nerd sneaking out!" Hermione laughed.

"Good, I always wondered if there was going to be someone to pass this on to. I know you don't like to talk about it, but I wanted to thank you for what you did during the war. I know you went to hell and back sweetie. You deserve good things to happen to you. It is time for you to live for Hermione." Sebastian said.

She hugged him and had tears in her eyes. Just then she thought of Harry, Ginny, and even Ron. It still hurt that not one of them had bothered to contact her. She wondered how they were going to react when she saw them tomorrow.

Sebastian walked her to his door and they said goodbye. She promised to sneak away from school to visit him as much as possible. He offered to bring her home, but she did not think her father would appreciate her arriving on the huge Harley Davidson.

Sunday came and went. It was Monday morning and it was off to Hogwarts. She prolonged leaving as long as she could, but her mother shouted that they had to leave right away. She sighed and walked to the car with her parents.

They arrived at the station and Hermione made it to Platform 9 ¾ with only minutes to spare. She had found an old Judas Priest concert T-shirt in her dad's closet. She cut the front to make a low V-neck. She decided to wear her Gryffindor tie with the T-shirt. That should get them talking. She paired this with a distressed blue jean miniskirt. The weather was a bit chilly, so she had put on black tights that were strategically ripped and black sneakers on her feet. Her makeup was subtle, but highlighted her eyes and lips. She loved the tawny colored lip gloss, it brought out her eyes. She pulled her hair in a high ponytail and wore large gold hoop earring. Thanks to Sebastian, her hair hung down smoothly.

Most of the students had boarded the Hogwarts Express and watched as she prepared to board. They pondered if she was a new student, she sure was pretty. Some girls gave her jealous looks and could not believe what she was wearing. They only wished they had thought of it first. The boys only stared and loved that there was going to be a new hot chick at Hogwarts.

She finally boarded the train and walked into the first compartment. She smiled when she recognized the twins Padma and Pavarti who were sitting near Seamus Finnegan. There were other familiar faces and she greeted them as she started to make her way to the Head Boy/Girl compartment. When they realized who she was, they greeted her back, but were shocked. What was going on with Hermione Granger?

Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Lavender Brown were sharing a compartment. Ginny and Harry were together, of course. Ron had split up with the barmaid from Hogsmeade, Misty Goldenrod. He was dating Lavender again. She was sitting on his lap and was as annoying as usual. Ginny wondered where Hermione was. She worried because they had only seen her at the beginning of the summer and had not seen her since. She voiced her concern.

"Has anyone seen 'Mione? I wonder what she did all summer. Poor girl probably spent it with her parents. She didn't seem to have much of a life if she didn't hang out at The Burrow." Ginny said.

"I'm sure Hermione was fine. She probably spent her time studying and I will not be surprised if she is Head Girl. I wish we would have tried to communicate more. You have to admit that we weren't very kind to her. We pretty much ignored her because of Ron and Misty. I feel like a shitty friend." Harry replied.

"I know I have been a shitty friend too, but I could have at least written to her more often. I guess I did not want to get her hopes up about her and Ron getting together. I hope she is okay." Ginny said.

"Well, too bad for Little Miss Perfect, because Ron Ron is mine!" Lavender exclaimed.

"Yeah, it isn't my fault Hermione is about as exciting as watching paint dry on a wall. She'll be okay. I am sure she spent her summer memorizing all her books." Ron laughed.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Ron was never going to change. He was so shallow and self-centered. Hermione was probably better off.

The door to their compartment opened and a beautiful girl poked her head in. She looked like a video vixen from a heavy metal video. The group looked up in surprise and it hit them who she was when she spoke.

"Hey everyone! How's it going? Did you have a good summer?" asked Hermione.

Wow. Can't be. Hermione? This is what went through the whole group's minds.

"When did she get so good-looking? This gorgeous woman cannot be Hermione. Hermione never wore makeup and clothes like that." Ron and Harry thought.

Ginny was the first one to get up and she hugged Hermione. "It is so good to see you. Damn girl that is quite a transformation. Looks like you had a good summer. I hope we can talk later, this summer was so messed up. I am so sorry."

Hermione hugged her back. "It is all good. I wanted to say hi. Can't stay I have to get to the Head compartment. Later!"

They all watched her walk away. Ron could not believe how stupid he had been. What was he thinking, but then again he never knew she could look like that. Lavender sat there fuming and did not say a word. Who did Miss Perfect think she was looking like that? Ron could only think of how he was going to get back into Hermione's good graces. It did not go unnoticed that she barely looked at him. It was as if she did not have a care in the world.

Harry looked at Ginny. "What just happened? I am still in shock. She looks great, obviously she was busy this summer. It is going to quite a school year. I am wondering if she knows Malfoy is Head Boy."

"You can't be serious! How will Hermione cope with him? What a mess. Well, we will be there to pick up the pieces when she needs us." Ginny said.

Harry and Ginny still did not get it. They really did not have a clue as to how much Hermione had transformed over the summer. She was out to kick ass and take names.

Hermione finally arrived at the Head compartment. There was Malfoy sprawled on one side. He was wearing his Head Boy badge. For some reason she was not surprised. She had a feeling he was going to be Head Boy. There had been talk about promoting House unity, so it made sense. She walked in and sat on the other side facing him.

Draco abruptly sat up and could not help staring at her. Granger looked so good. He was still thinking about when he grabbed her firm hips while they danced. He could imagine her thrusting them to him while he shagged her senselessly. Shit, he needed to stop having these thoughts! No way in hell that was ever going to happen. She would hex him into oblivion.

She gave him a cool look and spoke. She gave no indication that she was going to mention what happened at the muggle club. "Malfoy, how are you? Look, we are going to have to put aside our differences this year. We need to set an example for the First Years. There are probably going to be plenty of muggle borns and half-bloods. You cannot go around calling them derogatory names. You are Head Boy, please act like it."

He was taken aback. "Granger, I am perfectly aware of my position. I can assure you my views have changed dramatically. I intend to prove to Professor McGonagall that I am more than worthy of being appointed Head Boy. I also want to apologize for how awful I have been to you the last few years. I believe if we could have some sort of truce, this could be a great year." He held out his hand to Hermione.

She smiled and shook his hand. "Okay then. Apology accepted. No use holding a grudge. Now, let's get down to business. We have schedules to figure out and plenty of other rules to go over."

Once they started working together, everything flowed. Draco was still aware of what she was wearing and she smelled like fresh apples, but he stayed in control. The schedules were in place and they had reviewed everything. Hermione was shocked to learn that Draco's grade point average was only a little lower than hers. He was also very organized and had good suggestions. This was definitely not going to be as bad as she thought at first.

The train was going to arrive at Hogwarts in about 20 minutes, so Hermione decided to pull on her robes. Draco was sorry to see her magnificent body covered up. They started to make their way to the First Years compartment to assist them when they arrived at Hogwarts. As they walked by the compartment where her friends were, she smiled and waved. Draco smirked at them and turned to stare at Hermione's ass as she walked. He knew it would irk the Weasel.

Ron clenched his fists and silently fumed. As if Malfoy had a chance with his Hermione.

Hermione found herself thinking of Draco as they walked to the other compartment. He had filled out over the summer and grown a few inches. He was almost as muscular as Lenny and they were about the same height. She did not know what type of aftershave he used, but the scent was alluring. It was something woodsy and totally masculine. She was sure it was very expensive. She could not help thinking about how good his hands had felt on her hips. She hated to admit that she felt a powerful thrill all the way to her toes when he touched her. It was odd because it felt nice when Lenny had touched her, but it did not come close to what she felt when Malfoy touched her.

She was going to have to stop thinking these thoughts. No way was anything going to happen with Malfoy.

They were at the entrance of the First Years compartment and made way for a few students that were exiting. Draco noticed the necklace that she wore and could not help touching the tooth. Hermione looked down and was surprised to see his index finger on the tooth. He suddenly drew back.

"Damn, must be static electricity. I got a little shock when I touched the tooth. It is a tooth, right? It is a very nice piece; it looks nice on you Granger." Draco asked.

Hermione thanked him and was taken aback. Draco felt a jolt when he touched the tooth, just like she did. Why were they the only two that felt it? Hermione told him that it was supposed to resemble an alligator's tooth and it was part of the Marie Laveau collection.

"Ah, Ms. Laveau, fascinating lady. I have read up on her recently. I would love to visit New Orleans one day. I have always heard it was a very spiritual city, loads of history."

Hermione smiled and told him she visited a friend there during the summer and that New Orleans was indeed the way he described it.

They entered the compartment and greeted the newest Hogwarts students. Draco wondered what else Granger had been up to during the summer. She had the look of someone experienced in the ways of the world. Was she still a virgin? He hoped she hadn't given it up to the Weasel. He would love to be her first, just imagining her calling his name in ecstasy was making him hard. Fuck, there he went again with those thoughts about Granger. He was going to be taking plenty of cold showers this year if he could not stop thinking of her in that way.

The students finally arrived at Hogwarts and everyone assembled in the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. It was announced that Draco and Hermione were Head Boy and Girl. They stood up and people were still talking about Hermione's transformation. This did not go unnoticed by Professor McGonagall. She was glad to see Hermione coming out of her shell. She also knew many questioned why Draco was Head Boy. She believed that he was one of the most intelligent wizards she had ever come across and had great potential. She stood by her decision.

She asked that Draco and Hermione stay after the feast; the prefects would show the new students to their dorms. They followed the professor into her office and sat down in the two chairs in front of her desk. They figured it was more talk about what was expected of them this year, etc. She came in and smiled.

"Welcome back. I know you are anxious to get settled in, so I will make this quick. There has been a change in the location of the Head Boy and Girl's dorms. Normally, you would live in your respective House, but we have decided to place you in the same dorm. We want to promote House Unity."

Draco and Hermione could not believe it. They were going to have to live in the same quarters? Hermione was looking forward to finally have a room to herself; well that was all shot to hell. The wheels were turning in Draco's mind. This living arrangement could prove to be very advantageous for him indeed. She was being friendly to him thus far, so he did not think any hexes were coming his way. He would be able to slowly seduce Granger.

They left Professor McGonagall's office and she led them to the new dorm. The password was "peanuts." She smiled and told them she hoped they liked it. She left them to explore their living area on their own. The new evil side of Hermione almost felt like changing the password to "what the fuck" but she suppressed that thought. The dorm was very luxurious and decorated in both of their House's colors. She loved that the common room was filled with built-in shelves containing many books. There was also a small kitchen. Her bedroom was on the left side and Draco's on the right. The bathroom was huge and was situated between the bedrooms. That was the only drawback; they were going to have to share it.

Hermione looked at Draco and said, "We will have to adjust our schedules for time in the bathroom."

"I am concerned about conserving water. Perhaps we could shower or bathe together." Draco said with a straight face.

Hermione started to laugh and said, "Aren't you the little joker! Look, why don't you go first in the mornings. We should have plenty of time to get ready for our classes."

"Sounds like a plan." Draco replied. If only Granger knew he was serious about them going into the bathroom together. He could imagine standing behind her and soaping up those perky breasts, his erection pushing on her pert ass. There he went again, having perverse thoughts about Granger. He really needed to concentrate on something else. She was going to drive him crazy with lust this school year.

She noticed that Malfoy would stare at her for long periods and at first wondered if she had food stuck in her teeth. It hit her that he was still trying to process her new look. She could not imagine him wanting to touch her although he apologized for the way he had treated her before. He was being very cordial and she was still surprised how easily they got along. He actually smiled and it made him look more gorgeous. He had taken off his robes and had a light green button-down shirt with tight Levis. He actually wore muggle clothes? His shoulders were broad and his biceps were a decent size. Probably from the workout he got from playing Quidditch. She imagined running her hands over his muscles. Hermione caught herself. She could feel herself becoming aroused. Malfoy getting her hot and bothered? She decided to check out her bedroom and make sure she had everything in order for the next day. That should keep her mind occupied. She was having way too many sexually charged thoughts about Malfoy.

They entered their respective bedrooms and all of their belongings were there. Hermione immediately unpacked and had everything in its place within an hour. She had pictures in frames from her vacation in Louisiana. One of her favorites was a portrait taken at Pat O'Brien's. She was sitting close to Lenny who had his arm around her and Natalie was sitting near Matt. They were all smiling and it was evident they were having a good time. She also had one of Lenny in his LSU football uniform. He was standing and holding his helmet. He was such a looker. She placed these on top of a dresser. She never heard Draco come in. He wanted to know if she had an extra quill. He was still unpacking and had not found his yet. Actually, this was a ploy to come into her bedroom. Hermione despite the radical change over the summer was still a little naïve and believed him. Draco was wondering what his next move was going to be when he noticed the pictures. Hermione looked so happy in the arms of a guy who looked like a male model. He now understood what LSU was when he saw Lenny in his uniform. It was some sort of muggle university. How many men were in her life? This guy and the older man she was with at the club? Why was he feeling his heart dropping? Should he care that Granger is probably involved with someone? This was all new to him. Was he actually jealous? He had never felt this way about a girl. It was always the other way around.

"There you go. Don't worry about returning it, I have plenty." Hermione said as she handed him a quill.

Draco, being curious asked about the portraits. "Was that taken in New Orleans?" He pointed at the picture from Pat O'Brien's.

"Yes, that is at Pat O'Brien's. They have a famous drink called The Hurricane. I only had a few sips of one and I was done for the night!" Hermione replied.

"Friends of yours?" Draco asked.

Hermione explained who Natalie, Lenny, and Matt were. He was still wondering if Lenny was her boyfriend. She didn't elaborate other than that they were friends.

"You can tell me to mind my own business, but wasn't the guy you were with the other night a little old for you?" asked Draco.

"Sebastian? Maybe the music was too loud, but when you came up behind me, I thought you were him and said people were going to think he was straight because of the way we were dancing." Hermione answered.

Draco felt so stupid. The older man was gay! Why was Hermione hanging out with him? "That was it, I misunderstood. Is he a good friend of yours?"

"Yes, he is my hairdresser. He is the one responsible for taming this mess." Hermione answered with a chuckle as she touched her hair.

"Well, he did a great job, your hair looks nice. Thanks again for the quill." Draco said.

He returned to his room. So, neither guy was a boyfriend. Interesting. Granger was really getting under his skin. He needed a cold shower. He let her know that he was going in for a shower and she didn't answer, so he assumed she was busy, but had still heard him. He took a cold shower and managed to stop thinking about sex with Granger for a short while. He was drying off when Hermione walked in.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I should have knocked. I will go now." Hermione said as she blushed a little.

Draco never stopped what he was doing and stood up, leaving nothing to the imagination. Hermione could not help but stare. She watched a trickle of water leak down his chest and to his penis. His abs were well-defined and he looked like he had spent time in the sun. He was not as pale as usual. Draco loved the reaction he got from her. She was totally checking him out.

"No problem, Granger. I have nothing to hide." Draco said and smiled.

"I'll just go now, I will make sure I knock next time." Hermione replied as she walked out and closed the door.

She leaned against her door and took a deep breath. She could not believe she just saw Malfoy naked! He had no shame. It was as if he enjoyed her looking.

Draco thought, "She was actually blushing, man she was cute. She sure has the "little virgin" act down." A little part still nagged at him, was it an act or had Hermione shagged the bloke in the picture all summer long even though she didn't specify if she was dating him. Granger was an enigma to him, but he would figure her out.

During the next few weeks, they settled into a routine. Hermione made sure she always knocked before entering the bathroom, much to Draco's dismay. They were actually becoming friends. At first, the other students were surprised to see them walking to class and the Great Hall together, laughing and talking. After a while, it wasn't interesting anymore and they found other students to gossip about. Draco and Hermione had a few of the same classes and they even sat together. Though, it was getting a little trying at times, for it seemed as if Draco was always taking an opportunity to touch her or stand really close when he wanted to speak to her. He had a way of speaking right into her ear and the sound of his voice actually tickled the inside of her ear.

Ron noticed all of this interaction with Draco and was not happy about it. Hermione barely acknowledged him these days. He could not believe it. It wasn't so long ago she was in love with him. Now it is as if she had turned off a switch and felt nothing. He attempted to get her to help with an assignment, but she blew him off. She actually told him to read the book and take notes. She was not ugly about it; she said she had so much to do with studying and Head Girl duties. She was nice to him, Ginny, and Harry, but it was nowhere near the friendship they had before. She rarely visited the Gryffindor common room except to help out the First Years. At one time, she lived to help him. Where had his Hermione gone? He did not know if he liked the new girl who took her place.

Quidditch practice had started since the first week and by about the 4th week of school, there was a match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Hermione and Draco were up bright and early the morning of the game. She had to admit that Draco looked good in his uniform. They smiled at each other and were about to walk out of their dorm, when Draco turned to her.

"Hey Granger, how about a little kiss for good luck?" Draco asked.

Hermione stopped in her tracks and laughed. "Are you serious? Come here, then" He walked over to her. She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Before she could step back, he turned and kissed her full on the lips. She was about to push him away, but then she decided she liked it. The kiss wasn't sweet like Lenny's, there was some kind of underlying hunger, and it was as if he wanted to devour her. He had one hand on her hair and the other pressed to her back, pushing her closer to him. She ran her hands through his soft hair and kissed him back. Suddenly, she realized what she was doing and broke the kiss. They were both slightly out of breath and stared at each other. She looked away first.

"I suppose we better get to the Quidditch pitch, you'll be late." Hermione said.

"Yeah, let's get going." Draco answered.

He could not believe what just happened. That was incredible. He took a chance for he did not know how she would have reacted when he kissed her on the lips. It was way more than he expected, the way she responded. If a kiss was that intense, how would it be once he got her into his bed?

She was astounded that his kiss had such an effect on her. Lenny's kisses were nice, but Malfoy's felt dangerous. There was some serious sexual chemistry between them. This was still all so new to her; she wasn't sure how to deal with what happened between them. A part of her wanted to know what it would be like to sleep with him, but her more sensible side was not going to allow her to be used. She knew she was a challenge to him; he always had girls falling at his feet. She wondered what would happen if she finally gave in to him.

They walked over to the Quidditch pitch and made no more mention of what had occurred between them, but they were both having intense thoughts about it. Hermione smiled and wished him good luck. She gave a small wave to Harry and Ron. They could not believe that she had actually walked over there with Malfoy. She saw Ginny in the stands and was about to go sit with her, but then she noticed Lavender was sitting there too. She was not in the mood for Lavender's bullshit. She ended up sitting with Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. They spoke quietly, but mostly focused on the game.

Harry ended up with the snitch. A small part of her actually had wanted Malfoy to get it, but she was still loyal to Gryffindor and glad they had won. There was going to be a celebration at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, Gryffindor and Slytherin houses were both going to be there. The House unity incentive was actually working. Hermione figured she could put in an appearance and make a quick exit. She was meeting Sebastian that evening and was looking forward to it. She was able to find one of the floo networks from Sebastian's map. It was located at the end of a long hallway near Hufflepuff's dormitory. It was as if it were an optical illusion. If one was not searching for the floo network, the hallway would go unnoticed. Hermione was confident she would not get caught.

She walked into The Three Broomsticks and the first person she saw was Ron. He was in the middle of the room strutting around like a rooster in a barnyard. Apparently he was the highest scorer of the game (aside from Harry catching the snitch) and had the best average. He thought that he deserved a prize and when he saw Hermione walk in, he decided she was it.

"Another well-deserved victory, eh Ron?" Seamus Finnegan asked.

"Yeah, I think I deserve a prize. Where's the trophy?" Ron asked in a cocky manner.

"Right here, Ron." Lavender said in a sultry, low voice as she planted a huge kiss on his lips.

"That was for best average. What about for the best score, Hermione?" Ron asked. He paid no mind to Lavender as she gave him a hurt look and stomped away, crying.

"What did you say? What the hell are you talking about?" Hermione asked. She had missed what had occurred because she was ordering a butter beer from the bar.

"What are you going to give me for having the best score, Hermione? I want you to be my trophy. Now give me a kiss." Ron said.

Hermione's eyes flashed and she angrily replied, "I am no one's trophy."

"Oh, look at Miss Independent. Anytime you want to come back to me, let me know, I'll think about it." Ron said.

"Let me tell you something, you conceited sack of shit! You had me, but I was not good enough! Now that I am not even remotely interested in you, you want something you cannot have! Another thing, I kiss who I want when I want. No one tells me what to do! I can kiss the next guy who walks in the door if I feel like it!" Hermione exclaimed.

As she said this, an older wizard walked in at that exact moment. Seeing this, Ron exclaimed, "Be my guest!" The older man chuckled, for he had heard Hermione's last statement. Everyone was laughing at the thought of Hermione making out with the geezer. She was about to walk out of the place, when Draco walked in. Seeing this as a golden opportunity, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kissed him. He was a bit shocked at first, but started to get into it with the same intensity as the kiss they had shared before. One would have to have been blind not to see the chemistry between those two. Hermione pushed him away, raised her eyebrows and smirked at Ron, as if to say, "See, I told you so."

Draco was still breathless from the kiss and wondered what just happened. Ron gave him a murderous look and stalked off to the bar. Blaise waved Draco over to their table and relayed what had gone on before he walked in. Perfect timing on his part, he laughed to himself. Two hot kisses from Granger in one day. Things were heating up. He wondered if he should have gone after her, but he figured she needed to cool off. Weasley was such a prat.

Hermione was fuming as she made her way back to Hogwarts. What was Ron's problem? She needed to get away and was so glad that she was going to be able to sneak away to visit Sebastian. He should have something fun planned and it would take her mind off how disgusted she was with Ron. Malfoy was another matter. She would have to discuss that with Sebastian.

Draco enjoyed his time with his teammates at The Three Broomsticks. It did not bother him that Slytherin house lost to Gryffindor. He was in a jovial mood after what happened with Granger. He and Blaise laughed at the nasty looks Ron was giving Draco. Weasley needed to get over Granger, she had moved on. Draco hoped he would be able to continue the kiss he shared with Hermione when he returned to their dorm.

Hermione packed a few items in an overnight bag and ran to the Hufflepuff dorm. She looked around to make sure no one was watching as she made her way down the long hallway. She smiled as she found the floo network. She clearly stated Sebastian's home address and disappeared.

Draco returned to their dorm and was a little shocked not to find Hermione there. He wondered where she could be. She was probably in the library. He decided to grab a book from the shelf and wait in the common room for her to return. He was looking forward to it. Little did he know that Hermione had other plans for the evening.

**Draco is going to be so pissed when he realizes Hermione is not at Hogwarts. I see sparks flying! Anyone recognize a scene from Grease II? I am so cheesy, I love that movie! Thank you so much for the encouraging and helpful reviews, it means a lot to me. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Disclaimer:** **I own nothing related to Harry Potter!**

**Bear with me, fellow Dramione lovers! I am in college and finals are coming fast, so my schedule is crazy. I will attempt to update! Thank you again for the fabulous reviews and for reading the story. Enjoy.**

Hermione ended up in a fireplace located in Sebastian's guest bedroom. He heard the crack and immediately greeted her.

"Sweetie, you made it! I am so excited, we are going to have a blast tonight!" Sebastian exclaimed as he grabbed her in a hug.

Hermione hugged him back and said, "You don't know how glad I am to be here. What a day!"

Sebastian looked at her with concern and said, "You look stressed. Spill. What happened?"

They made their way downstairs to the kitchen. Hermione could smell a wonderful aroma of different herbs and spices. She was surprised to see another man cooking in the kitchen.

"Hermione, I would like to introduce you to my partner Phillip. You missed him the last time you were here. His job takes him away from home at times." Sebastian said. Phillip was also a wizard and an ambassador for the Ministry of Magic. He was about 5'10 with a medium build. He had close-cropped black hair and warm brown eyes. Like Sebastian, he was also in his mid-thirties.

Hermione and Phillip greeted each other. It was nice to see Sebastian had someone in his life.

"Okay girlie, tell Uncle Sebastian and Uncle Phillip all about it."

She told them the whole story of what Ron had done and everything that had been happening with Malfoy. The two men listened attentively and offered advice.

"That Ron is total garbage. You did the right thing by kicking him to the curb! Oh, you are just so sassy, that was a nice touch when you kissed that other boy!" Phillip said.

"I think you should go for it with Malfoy. It seems like he is really making an effort to be a better person. Phillip, you should see this guy, he is so hot. He just oozes sex! If I were you sweetie, I would be in his bed every night!" Sebastian said as he giggled.

"That is because you are a big man whore, you silly thing! I am sure Hermione has standards." Phillip answered.

"Well guys, to be honest, I have been thinking about going for it with him. I can't explain how attracted I am to him. I just don't want to rush into anything. Sleeping with him will change everything." Hermione said.

"All I can say is don't let Sebastian influence you! This is something you have to think about. Most young people these days are way too casual about having sex. I think it is much more exciting to prolong the wait!" Phillip said.

"Listen to your heart, darling. We all do things we may regret later in life, but live and learn is what I say. You're young, enjoy life. Throw caution to the winds and all that other bullshit!" Sebastian said.

"Thanks for listening to all of my drama. You guys are awesome." Hermione said as she wrapped her arms around both of the men.

"Now that this is settled, let's eat. We have a fun night ahead of us." Phillip said.

"Where are we doing tonight?" asked Hermione.

"It's a surprise sweetie, but I think you will like it!" Sebastian answered with a shit-eating grin.

They had dinner and prepared to go out for the evening. Sebastian told her to dress casually, so she wore a fitted black sweater with skinny jeans tucked into black leather knee-high boots. The boots had 5-inch pencil heels. Sebastian and Phillip whistled when she came out of the guest bedroom.

"Woo, you look like a dominatrix! Who you planning on beating into submission?" Sebastian said as he giggled.

Phillip rolled his eyes and said to Sebastian, "You are terrible, but that's why I love ya!"

Hermione gave him a playful punch on the arm and said, "Enough already, where are we going?"

"Well, let's get the hell out of here and find out!" Sebastian answered.

The trio left the house and walked for a few blocks. The guys stopped at a very drab building. It looked as if it was abandoned. There was a plain wooden door with "Hardware" written on it. Phillip opened the door and they stepped in.

"Are you sure this is where we should be?" Hermione asked as her eyes adjusted to the dark room they had just entered.

"Follow us, trust me, you will not believe it. Take my hand" Sebastian answered.

Hermione did as she was told and was pulled through a long hallway. She could not believe it when they entered a huge dance club. She noticed that it consisted of three levels filled mainly with men dancing and socializing. She laughed to herself. They had taken her to a wizard gay bar! She should have known by the exterior of the old building that something like this was going to be inside. An ordinary muggle would never notice it.

They made their way to the bar and ordered shots. They had to shout a little over the loud dance music.

"Let's do shots of tequila!" Sebastian said.

"Oh no, I want to able to walk home, not crawl like the last time we did shots. I am playing it safe with white wine. But don't let me stop you two." Phillip said.

"Hermione, are you with me? I just adore shots!" Sebastian said.

"Sure, why the hell not? Let's order up a round." Hermione smiled to herself. This was another "what the fuck" moment.

A male bartender clad only in a pink thong brought their shots. Hermione was about to down hers, when Sebastian screamed.

"Nooooo! That is not how you should shoot tequila! Let me show you how it is done. I am a pro."

Hermione noticed that he had a salt shaker and a bowl of lemon slices on the bar in front of him. He licked the top of his left hand in a seductive manner and looked at Phillip. Phillip rolled his eyes and shook his head. He poured salt on his hand, than licked it off. He lifted the shot glass and wolfed the tequila down. He grabbed a lemon slice and bit into it. He had a grimace, than he smiled.

"The first shot is always a little rough, but it gets better after a few rounds! That my dear, is how you do a shot of tequila. I am sure glad I am here to teach you these important life lessons. Now go ahead and shoot it exactly the way I did."

Hermione performed all the steps and could not believe how much the tequila burned when it hit her throat. The lemon slice seemed to somewhat take the edge off.

As the evening wore on, they danced and did more shots. Hermione lost track of how many, but who cared, she was having the time of her life. She had forgotten all about stupid Ron and his bullshit. They were taking a break at the bar, when there was an announcement. The DJ asked that everyone clear the dance floor for the "I'm Sexy and I Know It" contest. Young and old men began to line up on the dance floor. They were all clad in low-cut Speedo briefs in various colors and patterns. The men were also different shapes and sizes. They ranged from extremely fit to huge potbellies, shaved, unshaven, and extremely hairy. LMFAO's song which is the same title as the contest, blasted over the speakers. The men all began to gyrate wildly. Hermione thought she was going to pee in her pants she was laughing so hard. When the part in the song which went, "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle" came on, she and Sebastian actually fell on the floor because they were laughing so much. Phillip decided it was time to get them out of there and head home. On the way back to the house, Hermione and Sebastian kept on singing different lines of the song, very loud and drunkenly.

Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Draco had fallen asleep on the couch in the common room. He woke with a start and looked around. He stood up and checked Granger's bedroom and the rest of the dorm. She was nowhere to be found. He decided to check the library, but turned back when he saw that the doors were locked. He thought about performing a spell to open them, but remembered that there was a tracking charm to find anyone at Hogwarts. He did the charm and was dumbfounded when Granger wasn't anywhere in the castle or the grounds. Something peculiar was going on and he was determined to find out where she was.

Phillip got the drunken duo into the house and put on a pot of strong Brazilian coffee. Hermione needed to sober up a bit before she took the floo network back to Hogwarts. He did not want her to get caught sneaking back in. She needed to get back before someone noticed she was gone and reported her missing. Phillip prepared a mug of coffee and told her to drink it. She did as she was told. She drank two more cups and felt more alert. Sebastian had passed out on the couch in the living room. He was snoring and never noticed she was leaving. Phillip gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Okay, dear. Be careful going back and try not to make any noise. Don't get caught, Sebastian and I want you to visit again."

Hermione hugged him and left for Hogwarts.

Draco walked around the castle, pretending to check up on students roaming the hallway. He turned a corner near Hufflepuff's dorm and was surprised to see someone walking ahead of him. He wondered who it was and when he got closer, he realized it was a black woman. She was wearing a dress from another century and a white turban covering her hair. She turned and gave him a cool look. She smiled and put her index finger up to her lips.

"Shhh. I have been waiting for you. How are you Draco Malfoy?" the woman asked.

He knew she was a ghost, but he wasn't afraid. She seemed strangely familiar. All of a sudden, it hit him. She was Marie Laveau. What was she doing here?

"I have been doing well. Ms. Laveau, I presume?" Draco replied calmly considering the shock he had just received.

"Yes, indeed. I have traveled a long journey to see you my dear boy. I don't have much time, got some other business to take care of back home. You need to hear this. Everything you want is within your grasp. Don't let idle gossip and others who are supposed to be friends ruin what could be." Marie Laveau said.

"I don't understand. Is this some sort of message? I am not sure what you mean." Draco said.

"All will reveal itself in time. I think my work here is almost done. I may be back in the future. Fair warning, you are about to get the shock of your life." Marie Laveau laughed as she said and faded away. Draco could still hear her laughter even though she had disappeared.

He shook his head and almost pinched himself to make sure he was not dreaming. This had to be one of the most bizarre evenings he had ever spent at Hogwarts. He was about to head back to the Head's dorm, when he heard giggling coming from the hall. He cautiously walked toward the sound. After witnessing what he did, he was not sure what was waiting for him. A figure started walking towards him, stumbling and still giggling. As the figure came closer, he realized it was Granger.

At first he was relieved to see she was okay, but then he became angry. He walked up to her and began badgering her with questions.

"Granger, I have been worried sick! Where the hell were you? I know you weren't here at the castle. Where did you go? Why are you stumbling around? Oh shit, you are drunk!" Draco roared.

When Hermione left from Sebastian and Phillip's home, she felt like she was sobering up. It is not a good thing to travel in the floo network if there is alcohol in your system, so she was drunk all over again. She laughed when she saw Draco.

She placed both hands on his shoulders and spoke right into his face. "Drakey Poo Poo! You didn't have to worry about little old me!" She slurred a little as she said this.

Draco backed up a little and wondered how he could get her back to the dorm without waking up the whole school. He grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. He started walking really quickly and muttered a silencing charm. It would not be good to be caught roaming the school at 3 a.m.

"Oooh, Drakey is giving me a ride, fun! Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!" Hermione said.

Draco was almost running with her now. What was all that nonsense that kept sprouting from her mouth? He had never witnessed Granger act in this manner. Who would have thought that the Gryffindor Princess would sneak out of Hogwarts to get drunk?

He made it to their dorm without anyone seeing them. She was still singing a song in a deep voice, "I'm sexy and I know it!" then would erupt in giggles. He dumped her on the couch and caught his breath. As he looked at her sprawled out, he gave a groan when he saw how hot she looked in her tight jeans and sweater. He speculated to himself if she had snuck out to meet someone, she sure looked good. She had finally calmed down and looked as if she was about to fall asleep.

He sat near her on the couch and wondered what to do next. As he was thinking, her hand started crawling up his leg. His breath caught and he could not believe what she was doing. She took her hand off and started crawling towards him. He was pushed up against the cushions and did not move. She was face to face with him and tilted her head towards his ear. He felt her breath as she started to speak.

"I want you." Hermione said as she nibbled his earlobe.

This was too much for him to take. He grabbed her and pushed her down on the couch. He climbed on top of her and kissed her with all of the pent up sexual frustration he had been feeling for the last few weeks. He groaned as she kissed him back and ran her hands through his hair. He could not believe it was finally going to happen. He was going to shag Granger. Her hands ran up inside his T-shirt and his skin tingled from her touch. He sat up and pulled off his shirt and bent down again to kiss her more. She started to pull off her sweater, but it was stuck near her head. She started laughing again as the sweater stayed over her face. He gently pulled it off and finally was able to see her magnificent breasts. She was not wearing a bra. He could not help himself and he brought his mouth to one perfect pink-tipped mound. They were just the right size, not more than a handful and her tit fit right into his mouth. She arched her back and threw her head back as he suckled her breasts.

"This may turn out to be the best night I ever had at Hogwarts!" Draco thought to himself. He moved back up to look at her and they kissed again. She sucked on his bottom lip and broke the kiss. He looked at her questioningly and her hands moved to his sweatpants. She pulled them down and stared at the bulge in his boxers. He gasped as she ran her hand over his member covered in the thin, silky material. She smiled and he pulled her back towards him and kissed her hard. He loved the feel of her silken curls. He would have never thought her hair was so soft. He moved down and started to kiss her neck. She moaned in pleasure. She had no idea how much she was turning him on. His practiced hands moved down to her jeans and swiftly unbuttoned and unzipped them. He remembered she still had boots on. He thought about how she would look wearing that pair of boots and nothing else. The thought of her wearing them and having her legs thrown over his shoulders as he pounded into her was almost too much to bear. He managed to pull off the boots and slipped the jeans off her small frame. He sat up again and looked at her. She was wearing a thong, really only a sliver of material. She was so damn beautiful. She really did not know how hot she was. He kissed her again. He was like a man dying of thirst and he could not get enough of her. He brought his mouth back to her breasts and took his time sucking each one. She moaned and it made his dick twitch. He wanted to be inside of her so badly, but he paced himself. They had all the time in the world. He placed his hand on her most private part and could not believe how wet the material of her thong was. He pushed the cloth aside and was about to insert a finger in her hot slit, when he heard soft snoring. He could not believe it. Something like this would happen just as he was finally getting somewhere with Granger. He shook his head in disbelief. He reluctantly got up from the couch and looked down at her. He gently picked up her sleeping frame and brought her to her bed. He put her down and searched her drawers for a nightgown. He managed to find one and slipped it on. He was sorry to see her breasts covered up. She never woke up while he dressed her and pulled her comforter over her. His voice of reason began to take over. He knew it was wrong to take advantage of her when she was inebriated, but he could not help himself. He had wanted to shag her since school had begun, so he could not stop when she came on to him.

He went to the bathroom and undressed. He was still hard and needed to relieve himself. He climbed into the shower and started to stroke himself as the warm water pounded his flesh. Images of her perfect breasts and him fucking her until she screamed made him come like he never had before. He could only imagine what it was going to be like when he finally managed to get her into his bed. He finished his shower, dried of and dressed. He walked back to her bedroom to check on her. She was sound asleep. He went to his room and climbed into bed, his mind going over all what happened. He finally fell asleep thinking about what the next day would bring.

Hermione woke up the next day and her head was pounding. She remembered tequila shots with Sebastian and leaving from his house, but her mind was blank as to what happened when she arrived at Hogwarts. She had no idea how she undressed and made it to her bed. She went to the bathroom and almost screamed when she looked in the mirror. She had not washed off her makeup from the night before, so she looked like a raccoon. She squirted out facial cleanser and rubbed it on her face. Her head was pounding, so she drank a hangover potion to get rid of it. She hoped Malfoy did not mind she used some of his supply. She washed up and went back to her bedroom to dress. She was still puzzled as to how she made it the night before. She changed into loose sweats and Lenny's old LSU football jersey. She walked into the kitchen of their dorm. Draco was seated at the table. He was eating a bowl of cereal and reading a wizard sports magazine. He looked up when Hermione came in. He noticed she was wearing the American bloke's football jersey, but he did not comment on it. She would look even better in his Quidditch jersey, wearing nothing underneath. Damn, he needed to stop having these thoughts.

"Good morning to you or maybe I should say good afternoon. It is almost noon. We both had a long night." Draco said.

"Malfoy, I am going to apologize now if I did or said anything stupid. I did shots of tequila and I do not remember much from the night before." Hermione answered.

"How about for starters, you tell me where the hell you were last night." Draco said.

Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Sebastian gave me a map with hidden floo networks. I found one near Hufflepuff's dorm that worked. I was in London at a gay bar with Sebastian and Phillip, his partner. I remember leaving from their home, but everything is a blank after that."

"Granger, I am almost at a loss of words to describe everything that has been going on with you since we started this new school year. I was looking for you the night before and I found you near Hufflepuff's dorm. Thank Merlin that it was me and not Filch or Professor McGonagall. You probably would have been expelled. We came back to the dorm and you were singing something about you being sexy and knowing it. Some muggle song, I suppose. You passed out on the couch and I brought you to your bed. I undressed you and put your nightgown on. I had my eyes closed the whole time." Draco said as he grinned devilishly.

Hermione blushed because she remembered she was only wearing a thong and no bra underneath her clothing from the night before. She wondered how much he had seen.

Draco laughed to himself. She really did not remember what happened the night before. He was thinking about how he could work this situation to his advantage when Hermione spoke.

"Look Malfoy, I don't know how I can thank you for not reporting me. I'll do homework assignments, essays, anything, I am eternally grateful to you." Hermione said.

His ears perked up at this. "First thing you can do for me is call me Draco, Hermione."

The way he said her name gave her a pleasant tingle. She liked it. "Okay Draco, easy enough."

He loved the way she said his name. He wanted so badly to walk up to her and take her into his arms. Would she eventually remember what they shared the night before?

She took an apple out of the refrigerator and sat at the table with him. They discussed school assignments and everything under the sun. Hermione was still amazed at how easy he was to talk to. She wanted something more with him, but did he? She did not want to be a notch on his bedpost. She was falling for Draco Malfoy.

Later that afternoon, after finishing homework assignments, she decided to check her email on her laptop. She wasn't sure if she would be able to establish an internet connection at Hogwarts, but Professor McGonagall took care of that. The professor realized that Hogwarts was getting more and more muggle born students, so Hogwarts was now wireless. It was a great tool for students who had muggle parents and communicated with them via email rather than owls.

Hermione and Natalie had been sending emails back and forth since school started. Lenny sent emails too, but not as often as Natalie. He was very busy with classes and football season. Natalie loved it at LSU and wanted Hermione to visit.

_Hey Girlie!_

_Hope all is well at Hogwarts! It has been a little crazy here, adjusting to the class schedule and parties, LOL! I got into Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. My mother, aunts, and grandmother are still members, so I was so glad to get in. If you decide to come here you could pledge our sorority. We would have so much fun! Would it be possible for you to visit next weekend? Our team is playing their rival, Alabama. We could hang out, go to the game, and then party with Lenny and the other players! Please say yes!_

_Love, Nat_

_Nat!_

_Congratulations on being accepted in the sorority of your choice. I know it meant the world to you. I would love to visit, but I will have to get it cleared with our headmistress. Things have been a little weird here! It is too much to explain in an email. I will reveal all if I am able to visit next weekend! Keep your fingers crossed._

_Love, 'Mione_

Hermione was going to speak to Professor McGonagall the next morning. She knew that the professor was a bit more lenient since the fall of Voldemort. She hoped she would be able to get permission; she was looking forward to seeing Natalie and Lenny again. She decided to take a bath and prepare for bed. Her headache had gone away and she decided to relax. Draco had gone to the Slytherin dorms to visit Blaise, so she had time for a nice, leisurely bubble bath.

Draco spent the afternoon in Slytherin's common room. He had to get out of the dorm he shared with Hermione. He didn't trust himself after the events from the night before. He wanted to resume what they shared, but how could he when she couldn't recall any of it?

He told Blaise what happened. Blaise had been his friend for years, so he knew Blaise was not going to repeat what he told him.

"Let me get this straight. Granger snuck out of Hogwarts, got drunk with that bald dude in London, than snuck back into the school and was drunk? Plus, you and she almost did the horizontal bop? Dray, you are something else. You dawg!" Blaise said and laughed.

"What was I supposed to do? It was getting all hot and heavy, next thing I know, she is fast asleep. You cannot imagine how hot she was. I have never known a chick like her. She has the virgin act down when she is sober, but last night was wild woman!" Draco said.

Blaise looked at his friend and noticed something he never saw before. When he spoke about Granger, his face lit up and he had a glimmer in his eye. Draco was falling for her. He had dated Pansy for about two years and it was as if he was bored with her the whole time they were together. He knew Draco was relieved Pansy was dating a Slytherin who had graduated from Hogwarts a few years before. Blaise wondered how it was going to turn out. Draco and Granger had always been at each other's throats when they were younger. He chuckled. This was going to be good. They already had tongues wagging after the incident with the Weasel at The Three Broomsticks.

Draco decided to return to his dorm. He figured tomorrow was going to be a long day, for he knew everyone was talking about the incident at The Three Broomsticks. Supposedly, the Weasel wanted to kick his butt. He was going to enjoy tormenting the Weasel by flirting with Hermione more than he usually did. Tomorrow might actually be fun.

He entered the dorm and ran to the bathroom. He needed to take a piss. He burst in and stopped short when he saw Hermione. She was completely nude and her left leg was bent and perched on the toilet. She was humming and applying lotion. He stood for a few seconds and was mesmerized by her movements and the sweet apple scent of the lotion. She sensed that she wasn't alone and gave him a shocked look.

"Draco! I thought you were gone. Get out!" Hermione shouted.

"I'm sorry, don't be mad. I really needed to pee. Let me know when you are done." Draco answered.

He left and shut the door. He was glad that she didn't throw something at him, she did not look happy. He chuckled, knowing she had no idea how much of her gorgeous body was revealed to him the night before. He wondered how she was going to react if she ever remembered what she had done with him. He heard her yell that the bathroom was clear. He rushed in and relieved himself. Returning to his bedroom, he sat at his desk and attempted to concentrate on a Potions essay that was due the following week. It was useless; he could not stop thinking about Hermione. He decided to check on her and apologize again.

He knocked on her door and she told him to come in.

He walked in and said, "I wanted to tell I am sorry again for barging in on you."

"It's okay, I am over it. Don't let it happen again!" Hermione answered. She went back to typing on her muggle computer. Draco was fascinated by the contraption.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he watched her type.

"Oh, answering emails, checking my Facebook page. A few of the First Years have "friended" me on Facebook, so I like to see what their status is. It is a good way to check up on them, make sure school is going okay. I am also answering Sebastian. We had quite an evening; he can't remember much of it either!" Hermione answered laughingly.

"Hermione, you know I am not that familiar with muggle technology. What exactly is this Facebook?" Draco asked.

Hermione explained about the social networking website. Draco was fascinated and they looked at it together. He could not believe all of the things muggles posted on the internet. They were so comfortable together. He looked at the clock on her desk and could not believe it was past 10:00 p.m. It was a long weekend and he needed to sleep, but he loved being with her.

Hermione yawned and said, "This has been fun, but I need to get some sleep."

"Me too. See you in the morning. Hermione, before I go, would you kiss me goodnight?" Draco asked. He did not know why he asked her; he supposed he wanted to see what type of reaction he would get.

"Considering you didn't turn me in, I guess a kiss goodnight won't hurt. Come here." Hermione said.

He moved close to her and she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. This was not enough for Draco. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up to his body. He kissed her and pushed his tongue into her mouth. He felt her hands pushing on his chest, but then they were around his neck. She groaned and returned the kiss. This was more like it.

Hermione could not believe she was kissing him again. When his lips met hers, she felt it all the way to her toes. He was good; she had to give him that. She stopped letting her heart overrule her head and her sensible side took over. She gently pushed him away; she was a tad breathless.

"You got your goodnight kiss, off to bed with you!" Hermione said in a joking manner, but she was trembling inside. It scared her that she wanted to keep on kissing him and see where it would lead. It would be so easy to give in to her desire, but something kept holding her back.

Draco reluctantly kept his distance and bowed to her. "Goodnight fair lady, see you in the morning." He winked at her and walked back to his bedroom. That was so hot. He could tell that she wanted him, but she wasn't ready to give in. She was going to be worth the wait. He knew exactly what he was doing when he came to her room. It would be a slow process, but he would seduce Hermione.

Monday morning was slightly awkward. They walked to the Great Hall together and all eyes were on them as they walked to their respective tables. Hermione sat near the younger students and completely ignored Ron. She could feel his eyes on her. He really needed to give it a rest. Draco met her at her table when she was done and they walked to class together. He did not help matters when he turned to smirk at Ron while touching one of Hermione's curls. Ron was fuming. What was going on with those two? He could not believe that Hermione was with Malfoy. She had really pissed him off this past Saturday. He planned on getting even.

Hermione spoke to Professor McGonagall and her parents about going to visit Natalie. Her parents gave her permission. The headmistress approved her leave on the premise that Hermione was visiting the campus of LSU for academic reasons. Hermione told her that she was thinking about attending LSU when she finished at Hogwarts. This was partially true, but the headmistress did not need to know about the parties and the football game. She was so excited, but she felt a little twinge. She looked forward to seeing her friends, but she was going to miss Draco. Maybe it would be good to get away and clear her head. She wanted to think about where she and Draco were headed. Natalie would be a good sounding board, she would not sugarcoat anything and that was what Hermione needed.

**Hermione should be headed to Louisiana for a long weekend in the next chapter. Let's just say that suggestive pictures of her and Lenny will pop up on Facebook and Draco will see them. Oh my!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing regarding Harry Potter, just having some fun with the main characters, LOL! **

**Wow on the reviews and so many readers adding this story to their favorites. I will try not to disappoint!**

Hermione was amazed at how quickly the week passed. It was already Friday morning and she was going to leave at noon to head to Louisiana. Professor McGonagall was allowing her to use the floo network in her office. Hermione felt a little guilty that she knew about the one near Hufflepuff's dorm, but she wasn't guilty enough to say anything. She still intended on using it to visit Sebastian.

Draco had spoken to Hermione about her trip and the only thing he thought about was the American wizard Lenny. He was still speculating as to what he meant to Hermione. He could not believe how jealous and possessive he was when he thought about her with someone else. He was actually relieved when she told him she was with Sebastian at a gay bar the weekend before. He knew no one was going to hit on Hermione there. He was going to be a nervous wreck on the inside while she went away to Louisiana, but he was capable of hiding his emotions. No one would know how he was really feeling. Draco Malfoy was too cool for that. No one had to know Hermione Granger was turning him into a marshmallow.

Hermione ran back to her dorm, it was 11:45 a.m. and she wanted to be gone from Hogwarts by noon. Natalie's family had a home in Baton Rouge with a floo network, so she would be going there. It was much faster than a plane ride and it would give her more time to spend with Nat. As she was about to leave, Draco walked in.

"Oh hey, I thought you would have been gone by now." Draco said.

"I was about to step out, just making sure I have everything. Well, I better run. Have a good weekend. I will see you on Sunday." Hermione said.

"Wait, not so fast. Remember you said you would do anything because I didn't turn you in? I want a kiss goodbye." Draco said and was looking at her with lust in his eyes.

Hermione groaned inwardly. She knew what he was up to, but she gave in to him. She walked up to him. He was staring at her with those piercing gray eyes; her breath caught. He pulled her to him and crushed his lips to hers. He pushed his tongue between her lips and touched hers. As when Draco kissed her before, Hermione felt a tingle all the way down to her toes. Her fingers wound up in his soft hair and his hands had made their way down to her buttocks. It took every bit of inner strength she had, but she pushed him away. Merlin, Draco had such an effect on her. She almost forgot about her trip.

"Draco, I really have to go." Hermione said.

"Okay, I'll see you Sunday." Draco said.

Hermione started to walk out, but then she turned to face him.

"What are we doing exactly?" Hermione asked.

Draco wanting to play it cool replied "You are paying me back for not ratting you out, that's it."

"I get it. Later then!' Hermione said as she smiled and walked out of the door.

As he watched Hermione leave, Draco could have kicked himself for giving her such a smartass answer. Why did he always have to do that? What he really wanted to do was pull her back to the dorm and into his bed. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He, Draco Malfoy, had it bad for Hermione Granger.

Hermione left from Hogwarts more confused than ever. She thought that maybe something romantic was growing between her and Draco. He took every opportunity to be around her and always wanted to kiss her. After his last comment to her, she questioned if this was a game to him or a ploy to piss off Ron. She needed to stop overanalyzing this. Natalie was going to give her a reality check.

Natalie was waiting for her when she arrived. The two girls hugged and were so excited to see each other. The Dupre family home in Baton Rouge was newly built. It was right by the campus of LSU. The house was quite luxurious with 6 bedroom and six baths. The interior had all the latest high-end appliances and furniture. Hermione was amazed that Natalie and Lenny were the only ones who lived there. Their parents visited occasionally, but the siblings mostly had the home to themselves, which suited them fine. There was a huge pool in the backyard. Natalie and Lenny were becoming quite well known for their pool parties since the fall semester had begun.

Natalie showed Hermione to her room. As Hermione put away her belongings, they talked.

"What has been going on with you? You look great!" Natalie said.

"Thank you, you look great too, as usual!" Hermione answered and smiled.

"You told me a little bit about your argument with fugly Ron, but forget him, what is going on with hunky Draco? Is he not an egotistical asshole anymore?" Natalie said and laughed.

"Nat, I am so confused. You know I am not that experienced with guys. I am getting so many mixed signals from Draco. One minute I think he wants to be with me, then the next I wonder if he is just fucking with my head. He kissed me goodbye and made me feel used. He said I owed it to him for not turning me in when I snuck out to meet Sebastian. I just don't know." Hermione said.

"Whew, sounds like you have your hands full girly! Here is my take on it. I think Draco really likes you and is too stubborn to admit it. From what you told me about your history, this is probably confusing him too. Think about it, if he really disliked you, he would have ratted you out. Sounds like you two are really attracted to each other. I think you should just fuck him. From the way you look when you talk about him kissing you, the sex will probably be fantastic." Natalie said.

Although Hermione had known Natalie for years, she still could not get over how blunt she was sometimes. "I can't just sleep with him or "fuck" him as you said! We live in the same dorm and see each other every day. Believe me, it is very tempting, but I am so afraid to totally give in to him."

Natalie grabbed her by the shoulders until they were face to face. "Hermione, this is stressing you out. Sleep with Draco. I know you still have your V-card, but what better man to lose it to? Believe me, you want your first to be experienced. Don't they call him the Slytherin Sex God? There you go. I bet Ron would not know where to stick it in. Can you imagine Ron hovering on top of you, all sweaty and drooling?"

Hermione had a look of disgust, but she was also about to laugh. Natalie was rolling her eyes and making out with a pillow. "Oh Hermione, I just love you so much. Let me wipe the drool from your face."

"You are so disgusting!" Hermione exclaimed as she threw a pillow at Natalie.

"Yeah, well I bet I am not far from the truth. Look, quit thinking about this so much. I say go for it. All this talk about screwing makes me think of Matt! Let's get out of here, I want to give you a tour of the campus and convince you to apply to LSU."

Hermione left with her friend. She wished she could be as carefree and casual about sex as Natalie, but when she gave herself to someone, she wanted to give her heart too. The question was did Draco want her completely or was she someone to warm his bed. She decided to push all these thoughts to the back of her mind and enjoy the weekend.

The girls toured the campus in Natalie's red Mercedes Benz convertible. Natalie pointed out where her classes were located and showed Hermione Kappa Kappa Gamma's house. Hermione fell in love with everything about LSU. She was able to get a course catalog and was having serious thoughts about applying for admission.

LSU's campus was a happening place, especially around the football stadium. Natalie explained that alumni and fans were coming in for the big game on Saturday. She told Hermione about "tailgating" which entailed fans setting up areas in the parking lot in which they barbequed or snacked on finger foods. Here in Cajun country, tailgating was a little different. There were huge tents sponsored by different companies and full meals were being prepared. Hermione breathed in the wonderful aroma of the different foods. They made their way to a huge tent that had Dupre Enterprises printed on it. When they walked in, Natalie's parents were there along with loads of other people. Natalie explained that they were business associates of her father and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Dupre greeted Hermione warmly. They told her and Natalie to grab something to eat. The girls each ate a bowl of delicious seafood jambalaya. That was another reason Hermione liked it so much here. The food was incredible! They stayed for about another hour and decided to go back to the house.

"What do you think of LSU so far?" Natalie asked.

"I love it! You are so lucky to be able to come here. As soon as I get back to Hogwarts, I will start filling out my application. I am hooked!" Hermione answered.

Natalie giggled and said, "I knew when I finally got you here, you would love it. Come on, let's take a swim and relax. My parents will be staying here tonight so we can just chill for now. They are leaving after the game tomorrow, so Lenny and I planned a pool party. You have to love it here, it is October and it is still warm enough to swim."

Hermione could about imagine what their party was going to be like. Natalie had sent her photos of their last pool party. It looked extremely wild. Girls in bikinis and plenty of hunky guys in swim trunks were everywhere. No telling what was going to go on tomorrow night. She was actually looking forward to it. No one ever cut loose or had wild parties at Hogwarts. This change of atmosphere was good.

They had dinner at a restaurant with Natalie's parents that night and Lenny joined them. Hermione appreciated how handsome Lenny was, but she was glad to realize she did not feel anything romantic for him. He was becoming a good friend like Natalie. The dinner was pleasant. Mr. and Mrs. Dupre asked about Hermione's plans after Hogwarts and were thrilled that she was considering attending LSU.

They all returned to the house and retired for the evening. Lenny wanted to be well-rested before the game. Hermione and Natalie sat outside on the patio. They talked until 2:00 a.m. Hermione realized how much she missed being able to confide in a female friend. She used to be close to Ginny, but that all changed over the summer. She and Natalie shared lots of news and gossip by email, but it was not the same as actually being able to hang out. Both girls were amazed at how long they had stayed up, so they went to bed.

The next morning was a flurry of activity in the Dupre's household. Natalie's mother prepared breakfast and a few of Lenny's teammates joined them. Hermione noticed a few of them were eyeing her with interest until Lenny gave them dirty looks. Although he and Hermione had shared a brief romantic interlude over the summer, he now thought of her as a good friend. For some reason, he felt protective of her. From the way his teammates kept sneaking looks at her, he was going to have to keep a watchful eye on her tonight at the party.

Lenny and his teammates left the house after eating almost all of the food. The game was not going to start until 3:00 p.m., but the players had to be there early. Mr. and Mrs. Dupre left soon after. They were going back to "tailgating" until the game started.

"Finally, they are out of the house! Let's go, we have to shop for party supplies! I had to wait until the last minute because my mom is so nosy. She would have wanted to know why we had so much extra food, not to mention alcohol." Natalie told Hermione.

Hermione only shook her head and grinned. Never a dull moment with Natalie.

The girls bought the food and liquor and went home to prepare a few things. While they were shopping, Natalie would pick up different brands of tequila and give Hermione meaningful looks. Hermione had told her about the shots with Sebastian. Natalie wanted to do shots at the party, but Hermione had to think about it. She did not want to have another night she could not remember!

"Shit, look at the time! We only have about an hour before the game starts, we better get going!" Natalie exclaimed.

She and Hermione ran to their rooms and dressed for the game. Hermione still could not get over how warm it was in Louisiana. She and Natalie wore jean shorts, LSU T-shirts, and flip-flops. They made it to the stadium about 20 minutes before the start of the game. They went to their seats near Natalie's parents. Hermione had never experienced a game like this. The stadium was filled to capacity; it reminded her of a huge Quidditch pitch. The game was very exciting and LSU won by 7 points. Hermione sat near Mr. Dupre and he explained the finer points of the game. By the end, she understood about touchdowns, fumbles, and all the other football jargon. Lenny was an excellent player and he played for the whole game. His parents and Natalie were very proud of him.

They waited for Lenny to come out of the locker rooms. Lenny and his teammates were pumped from winning the game. Lenny came out and hugged his parents. He grabbed Hermione and Natalie in bear hugs too. Mr. and Mrs. Dupre told them goodbye and headed back home. As soon as their parents were out of sight, Lenny turned to Natalie.

"Were you able to take care of everything for the party?"

"Yes, brother dear. Hermione and I prepared a few dips and put the beer on ice." Natalie answered.

"Well done, my darling girls. Now let's get the fuck out of here and go party!" Lenny shouted.

Meanwhile at Hogwarts, Draco was having an uneventful weekend. The dorm was so quiet without Hermione. On Friday night, he caught up on homework that was due and had an early night. He woke up early on Saturday morning and had Quidditch practice. That afternoon he went to Hogsmeade with Blaise and they had a few drinks at The Three Broomsticks. Blaise noticed that Draco seemed a little out of it.

"What's up with you? You seem a little down." Blaise said.

"Nothing is up, just a boring weekend." Draco answered.

"Oh, I know what's wrong, Granger is gone for the weekend. You miss her!" Blaise said.

"Come on dude. All I said was that it was a boring weekend. I never mentioned Hermione." Draco said.

"Wait a second, you two are on a first-name basis now? When did this develop?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know okay! I like calling her Hermione. That's her name, isn't it?" Draco said angrily.

"Chill, I was joking." Blaise said.

"I'm sorry man, I don't know why I reacted that way. Blaise, I can't stop thinking about her. It is driving me crazy wondering what she is doing in Louisiana." Draco replied.

"I had a feeling you were falling for Granger, I mean Hermione. I don't blame you, she is the smartest witch at Hogwarts and not to mention, fine as all hell. What's stopping you?" Blaise asked.

Draco thought for a moment. "I suppose I am scared of rejection. She responds to my kisses, then stops me when I try to go further. I am getting mixed signals, like she wants me one minute, then maybe has time to think about it and doesn't want to take the next step."

"Hermione probably has heard all the rumors about you, she doesn't want to be another notch in your belt, Draco. She strikes me as the kind of girl who needs to be romanced. Maybe you can write a poem about her or give her a nice book of poetry. Send her flowers, girls like that shit."

"Since when are you Mr. Romance?" Draco asked as he rolled his eyes.

"I pull out all the stops when I want someone. You usually have chicks falling at your feet, but I have to work at it. I am telling you, you need to romance this girl." Blaise said as he chuckled.

"I'll try it. So maybe that's the answer. Hermione needs to be romanced. Let's have another drink." Draco said.

Back in Louisiana, the party at Natalie and Lenny's house was in full swing. Hermione could not believe how many people were there. She was worried about the noise bothering the neighbors, but Natalie had put a silencing charm around the house. She and Natalie were wearing string bikinis with floral patterns. They had stationed themselves in the kitchen and were doing shots of tequila. Natalie had convinced Hermione to do shots with her. The guys were enjoying watching while they licked the salt off of their hands. Lenny had positioned himself behind Hermione and was egging her on. After she did her fourth shot in a row, he kissed her on the cheek, and then picked her up off the stool she was sitting on.

"Put me down!" Hermione said as she burst into giggles.

"I will in a few seconds. I want to dance." Lenny said.

He brought her out to the patio where other couples were dancing. The music was blaring from the speakers of the DJ. "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida started playing. She and Lenny started moving together fluidly. They danced to a few more songs including a slow one. They moved slowly together and to an outsider, looked like a couple in love. In actuality, they were having a friendly conversation. Lenny was telling her about school and possibly getting drafted into pro football. The song finished and they decided to go back inside the house to check on Natalie.

"Thank you for the dances and the good conversation." Lenny said and smiled at her.

"You're welcome. I enjoyed it." Hermione answered and smiled back at him. He was such a flirt, but so much fun to be around.

Natalie had moved into the living room. She had set up the Xbox Kinect and was playing one of the dance games. There was a crowd in the huge room and everyone was participating in the game. Hermione thought it looked like fun so she decided to join in. As she was about to step in the living room, Lenny stopped her.

"Your top is untied. Let me get it for you. I wouldn't want you to flash everyone." Lenny said as he laughed.

Hermione pulled her hair up as he tied her top in a secure knot. She thanked him and joined the dancing crowd in the living room. She was having a great time. This was definitely what she needed.

Unbeknownst to Hermione, one of Natalie's sorority sisters was taking pictures at the party and posting them on Natalie's Facebook page. She tagged Hermione in quite a few of them. There was a clear shot of when Lenny kissed her on the cheek in the kitchen and when he was carrying her out. There was also a few of them dancing and a really good one of when they danced to the slow song. In the photo, Hermione had her arms around Lenny's neck and was giving him an intense look. She had that look for she was trying to concentrate on their conversation and it was difficult to hear with the loud music. There was even one of Lenny helping her with her top. These photos were going to be very difficult to explain when a certain someone will take it completely out of context.

Draco and Blaise had stayed in Hogsmeade for a few more hours, and then headed back to Hogwarts. Draco was in better mood and he could not wait until Hermione returned. He woke up Sunday morning and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. He and Blaise were eating and talking quietly, when they noticed a small crowd gathering at the Gryffindor table. Draco, being Head Boy, decided to see what was going on.

A fourth-year from Gryffindor had one of the muggle computers at the table and everyone was looking at something on the screen. Draco's stomach lurched when he realized what the group was viewing and talking about. This was how the conversation was going:

"Look at Hermione! That is some party."

"Whoa, what is she wearing? That swimsuit sure is skimpy. I wish she would wear it here, she is smoking hot!"

"Look at that hunk she is dancing with, I would be holding on to him like that too. I wonder who he is, isn't he dreamy?"

"He has to be her boyfriend. Look at the way they are staring at each other. Look at that picture, I wonder what they were doing? He's fixing the top of her swimsuit."

"I had no idea Granger was like this. She looks like she knows how to have a good time!"

Draco pushed through the Gryffindors and was shocked at the images displayed on the computer screen. Hermione was wearing next to nothing and clinging to that Lenny bloke. He should have known better. His assumptions were correct; there was something going on between Hermione and the American wizard. He hated the way he felt when he saw his Hermione with another guy. He was so hurt and bewildered. He could not believe that one girl could have the capacity to cause him so much pain. Draco Malfoy was burning with jealousy and anger.

Draco broke up the crowd and made the 4th year student put away his computer. Even after the students could no longer view the images, they were still talking about Hermione. She just kept finding new ways to shock people this year. Who would have ever thought the Gryffindor Princess was such a party animal?

Draco left the Great Hall soon after and Blaise followed him.

"Draco, wait up. What were they looking at? Why are you so upset?" Blaise asked.

"It was pictures of Hermione. She was with that American wizard. I knew she had something going with him. I don't get it. She pulls this virgin act with me, and then goes all the way to America to shag some bloke." Draco answered.

Blaise, attempting to be the voice of reason, said "Sometimes things are not what they seem. Were there pictures of Hermione actually shagging someone? It could have all been very innocent."

"No, just some of them dancing and one photo of him kissing her on the cheek. Wait, there was one where he was fixing the top of her swimsuit. You have to wonder what that was about. You should have seen that swimsuit, if you want to call it that. It looked like very skimpy knickers. I hate to admit it, but she looked great. I wish she would wear something like that for me." Draco said.

"Why don't you go back to your dorm and relax. Hermione is probably going to be back soon. If I were you, I would think about this. Ask her about it, give her a chance to explain. Sometimes things are not what they seem." Blaise said. He hoped his friend would heed his advice. Draco needed to calm down. He did not want his friend to do something he would regret.

Hermione and Natalie woke up Sunday morning a little hung-over, but happy. The party was a success. Everyone had a great time and their friends enjoyed meeting Hermione. Natalie's sorority sisters were excited when they heard Hermione might be attending LSU. She would make an awesome addition to the Kappa Kappa Gamma house. Natalie and Hermione did a few cleaning spells and the house looked as good as new. Lenny was still asleep.

Natalie and Hermione stood in the living room, admiring their quick work using the spells.

"Mom will never suspect anything. Thank you for helping me out." Natalie said.

"No problem, it is the least I could do. Thank you again for inviting me over." Hermione said.

"You are so welcome. I hope you can come back. This was so much fun. I really do miss you." Natalie replied.

"I miss you too Nat. Thank goodness I can vent to you and Sebastian on emails. You and he are about the only friends I have to confide in." Hermione said.

"It will get better. Think of it this way, you have less than a year of school left. If things go as planned, you will be here at LSU this time next year!" Natalie said.

"That is a good way to look at it. Well, I guess I better get my things together and head back." Hermione said as she sighed.

"Do you have to go now? Can't you stay for lunch, we can do more tequila shots!" Natalie said with a mischievous grin.

"Believe me, I would love to, but I have to get back." Hermione replied.

Hermione and Natalie talked the whole time as she got her belongings together. Hermione was about to leave when Lenny walked out of his bedroom. She and Natalie giggled when a girl walked out behind him. Lenny's booty call from the night before was still there.

"Hey girl! You were going to leave and not tell me goodbye!" Lenny exclaimed.

"I didn't want to disturb you!" Hermione said and laughed.

Lenny blushed a little and said, "Oh yeah. By the way, this is Sandy. Sandy, this is my sister Natalie and our friend Hermione."

They girls greeted each other. Sandy walked away and entered Lenny's room again. Natalie and Hermione burst into giggles again. Lenny narrowed his eyes and told them to keep quiet. He was going to have to make sure Sandy stayed in his room until Hermione left. It would be difficult to explain the floo network to a muggle like Sandy!

Hermione was able to leave without Sandy noticing. She was still shaking her head and laughing to herself about Lenny. He was a very sweet guy and so hot, but he was such a player! She arrived in Professor McGonagall's office and no one was there, so she started making her way to her dorm. When she was walking back, she noticed a few Gryffindors smirking at her and giving knowing looks. She wondered what that was all about.

She arrived at the entrance of the dorm and said the password. When she entered, it was eerily quiet. She figured Draco was out. She was looking forward to seeing him, but it would be nice to have to dorm to herself for a few hours. Hermione walked into her bedroom and started to unpack. It did not take her long to put away her belongings. She decided to surf the Net and check her emails. There were a few from Sebastian and one from Natalie that was titled: "OPEN ASAP!"

_Hermione,_

_I do not believe this shit! Wait until you see the pictures that WERE posted on my Facebook page and you were tagged in a few of them. My sorority sister Laura thought it was a good idea to post pictures of the party. I hope I was able to remove them before my mom saw them. Lenny and I can forget about having anymore pool parties if she did. I have sent you pictures in private emails, but I am not stupid enough to post them on Facebook! Hope you made it back safely, I miss you already! _

_Love, Nat_

Natalie had attached the pictures, so Hermione opened the attachment. When she started viewing the pictures, it hit her that she had befriended a few fellow Gryffindors on Facebook. That was probably why they were smirking at her; they saw the pictures before Natalie pulled them!

"Shit, what must people think! My swimsuit was so skimpy and it looked like Lenny and I were really getting comfortable." Hermione thought. Well, she decided she would deal with whatever came her way. This could be another "what the fuck" moment. She had to laugh, her list of "what the fuck" moments was getting longer and longer.

Hermione decided she needed to get out of the dorm. She changed out of her traveling outfit of jeans and a T-shirt into running shorts and a tank top. She laced up her trainers. A good run around the lake would clear her head. Natalie had added tons of new music to her IPod, so she hooked the device to the waistband of her shorts and placed the ear buds. "Rude Boy" by Rihanna played as she stretched for a few minutes, then left the dorm for her run.

It was a shock to hit the cool air outside at Hogwarts after spending a few days in Louisiana's warm climate. Hermione ran about three miles. She was so glad that the castle was rebuilt after the war. It truly was a gorgeous place. She appreciated the beauty of it all as her feet pounded the ground. She decided to head back to the dorm and take a long, hot shower.

Hermione walked back into the dorm and headed to the small kitchen to get a bottle of water. She was still listening to the IPod and "American Boy" by Estelle and Kanye West was playing. She was singing along with it, shaking her hips, and shimmying down to the floor as she held open the door of the refrigerator.

"Would you be my love, my love.

Could be mine would you be my love my love, could be mine

Could you be my love, my love.

Would you be my American Boy. American Boy

Take me on a trip, I'd like to go some day

Take me to New York, I'd love to see LA.

I really want to come kick it with you.

You'll be my American Boy"

Draco came in as Hermione was dancing and singing. "Damn, she is so hot." He thought as his eyes took a walk up and down her body. He was leaning against the doorjamb and watched her. He wondered if she moved like that under the sheets. "Merlin, she is even singing about that American git." Draco realized she had ear buds on and was listening to some sort of muggle device that was obviously playing music.

Hermione shut the refrigerator and turned around. She was shocked to see Draco there watching her. She blushed a little and laughed as she switched the IPod off.

"Looks like you caught me! I thought I was alone." Hermione said.

Draco stared at her a few moments longer before he spoke. He had calmed down and was curious to find out what kind of explanation Hermione would have for the photos.

"I take it Louisiana was fun. Did you get to see the muggle university? Draco asked.

"I did, it was great! I am seriously thinking of applying there." Hermione answered.

"Did you do anything else besides a tour of the university?" Draco asked with a smug look.

"Sure, we watched a spectacular football game. You should see the stadium." Hermione said.

"Sounds fun, but I think you left something out. Let's just say some interesting photos of you popped up at breakfast. It did not look like you were touring a university. It looked like you were at quite a party and was having a good time with what's his name, the American wizard." Draco replied.

Hermione snorted and said, "Who are you, my mother? Yeah, so I was at a party, big fucking deal. The American wizard's name is Lenny. I had a great time with him and his sister. They are my friends. What's the problem?"

Draco thought fast, he did not want her to know how jealous he was. He also could not believe she cursed! It was turning him on. "Well, the problem is that all of your little Gryffindor friends were looking at the photos and making comments. I did not think that someone who is Head Girl should be behaving like you did. We are supposed to be role models."

"Draco, spare me. Natalie has removed the pictures. If a student makes a comment, I will deal with it. You are a fine one to talk about role models, considering some of the crap you have pulled in the last few years." Hermione said as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I just thought you should know that's all. I am ashamed of some of the things I have done in the past, but I am trying to make up for it this year. You really should not have been so careless. There were photos of you wearing mere scraps of material." Draco said with a huff.

"I was wearing a bikini, they are quite common in the muggle world. Get over it." Hermione said.

"You with your attitude this year! So, you and Lenny have something going? You looked comfy in those photos." Draco asked.

"Don't worry about my attitude. It is about time I started speaking up! What's it to you if I have something going with Lenny? He is my friend. We danced a few times and hung out. Nothing more, nothing less. Look, I do not want to continue this. I just went for a run and I am sweaty. I am going to take a shower and "veg out" in my room." Hermione said.

She walked out of the kitchen and left Draco dumbfounded. What was happening here? No girl had ever gotten the best of him. He watched her walk away and it took everything in him not to run after her and shag her senselessly. When Hermione said that she and Lenny were only friends, he wanted to believe her. Maybe Blaise was right and he read more into the photos than he should have.

She went into her room and grabbed a bottle of shampoo Sebastian had given her. He had his own line of products for his salon. He told Hermione he created this shampoo just for her. She could not wait to try it and almost skipped to the bathroom. Hermione undressed and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt wonderful against her skin. She washed her hair and could not believe it. The shampoo had a peppermint scent; it was intoxicating and relaxing. She stayed in the shower a little longer, then stepped out. She dried off and decided to let her hair dry naturally. She put on a silk nightgown. It reached her mid-thigh and was green with tiny black dots. Nothing like a hot shower to relax, she thought. She was going to have to let Sebastian know how awesome his shampoo was.

Since it was almost 6 in the evening, Draco decided to have an early night and shower too. He took a cold shower to distract him from thoughts of Hermione. He noticed a new bottle of shampoo in the shower stall. Curious as to how it smelled, he unfastened the top and poked his nose. Peppermint and something else he could not identify pleasantly invaded his nostrils. He immediately squeezed out a portion and washed his hair. He could not get over how wonderful the aroma was. Almost as if the shampoo had a magical quality about it. He looked to see if there was a label, but there was not anything printed on the container. He found it odd, but shrugged and placed it back where it was. He did not think Hermione would mind. He stepped out of the shower and dried off. He could still smell the shampoo, the scent relaxed him.

Draco did not feel like dressing to go to dinner in the Great Hall. He pulled on black cotton pajama bottoms and a green tank top. He was hungry, so he decided to see what he could find in the kitchen The refrigerator had eggs and cheese, perfect for an omelet. There were also fixings for a salad. He decided to prepare enough for two. Maybe he could use dinner as a peace offering. He was going to take Blaise's advice and try to romance Hermione. He wanted her so badly.

Hermione was preparing her bag for her classes the next day when she smelled something delicious. She had forgotten about dinner and just realized how hungry she was. Was Draco cooking? She decided to go to the kitchen and find out.

"I didn't know you could cook. I smells great!" Hermione said. He also looked incredibly sexy while he cooked. She wanted to put her arms around him and run her hands all over his hard body. Merlin, what was she thinking!

"I am full of surprises. Look, I'm sorry I was poking into your business. I had no right to do that." Draco said. She really has no idea how much she is turning him on wearing that little nightie. He knew what was underneath and longed to touch her again.

Hermione was touched that he apologized to her. Draco really was full of surprises.

"Apology accepted, it's okay." Hermione answered.

"Are you hungry? I made plenty." Draco said.

Hermione giggled and said, "I was hoping you would say that. I am starving, thank you."

They sat together and spoke quietly as they ate. He loved the way she would close her eyes and savor the meal. If only she knew what pleasure he could give her in other ways.

Hermione got up to put her dirty dishes in the sink and do a cleaning charm. Draco got up at the same time and bumped into her. He breathed in the peppermint smell of her damp hair and had to restrain himself from throwing her onto the table and having his way with her. What was it with that shampoo?

Hermione felt Draco stiffen against her and wondered what that was all about. She smelled peppermint again and smiled.

"Did you use my shampoo?" Hermione asked.

"I did, I hope you don't mine. It is incredible. Where did you get it?" Draco asked.

"Oh, it is a little something Sebastian brewed up. He has his own line of products." Hermione replied.

"He has a winner with this one." Draco said.

Hermione was putting her dishes away when she felt Draco behind her. She slowly turned around and faced him. He did not say anything, but cupped her face in his hands, so she could look up at him. He bent his head and kissed her, silently hoping that she would not push him away. Hermione was surprised, but kissed him back. He pulled her against him and she wrapped her arms around his waist. Draco groaned, it felt so good to have her in his arms and responding to him. He pulled her down with him as he sat at one of the chairs at the table. Hermione was sitting in his lap and they kissed for a few minutes more. She turned so that she was facing him and straddled him. He pulled her to his chest and she could feel his erection through the thin cotton of her panties. Draco started to kiss her neck and Hermione threw her head back and moaned with pleasure. He looked at her as he slowly raised her nightie and removed it completely. He took in her luscious breasts and the curves of her body.

"Hermione, do you realize how beautiful you are? You drive me crazy." Draco said and took one of her breasts in his mouth.

Hermione gasped as she felt his warm mouth. He reluctantly took his attention away from her breasts so she could remove his tank top. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. His chest was hard and well-sculpted, with a narrow line of white hair going down to his pelvic area. He made her think of a Greek god. She ran her hands on his chest admiring the muscles. When Draco's skin made contact with the tooth charm on her necklace, he again felt a small jolt. Hermione smiled and said,

"It must be your magnetic personality."

"Mmm, something like that." Draco answered and started to kiss her again, passionately. He could not believe this was actually happening. She was not pushing him away and was not intoxicated, she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Suddenly, Draco picked her up and put her on the table. Hermione squealed with delight and said, "What are you doing?"

Draco was staring at her and smiling. "Oh, I think you know what I want to do. Let's bless the table Hermione."

As he started to remove her panties, someone called Hermione's name.

"Who the hell is that?" Draco asked.

"No, it sounds like Ginny. I had forgotten that I had given her my password. Shit, give me my nightie. I don't want her to see us like this!"

Draco reluctantly grabbed Hermione's nightie and gave it to her. Hermione kissed him and said, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We can continue this later." Draco said as he leered at her. Leave it to Weaselette to fuck things up. He really felt like hexing the bitch.

Hermione walked out of the kitchen to find Ginny in the common room. Ginny looked very upset and had tears running down her cheeks.

"Ginny, what is the matter? Did something happen?" Hermione asked.

"Oh Hermione, Harry told me he wants to take a break. He wants to see other people. You are the only one I can talk to. I am sorry for bothering you." Ginny sniffled.

"Ginny, it is okay. I am glad that you came to me. Come on, go to my room. We'll talk. I will get a few snacks in the kitchen." Hermione said.

Draco was still in the kitchen when she went in. He grabbed her and kissed her. She smiled and kissed him back. Hermione grabbed two pints of chocolate chip ice cream and two spoons. Draco raised his eyebrows.

"Is Weaselette upset about something? I heard her crying." Draco said.

"Yeah, I'll tell you all about it later. Looks like I am in for an all-night gabfest, had to get supplies." Hermione said as she held up the ice cream and spoons.

Draco pulled her against him and rubbed his erection on her thigh.

"You are going to pass me up for girl talk?" Draco laughed and kissed her again.

"Draco, be nice. She is upset and I feel like I need to be there for her." Hermione said.

"Okay, but know that we will continue this Hermione. I want you." Draco said as he looked into her eyes.

Hermione kissed him and winked. He watched her walk away and leaned against the wall. She truly was dazzling and he was falling fast for Hermione Granger.

Ginny apologized to Hermione for not being a good friend and Hermione assured her it was okay. They spoke for a few hours, Ginny pouring her heart out and Hermione giving her heartfelt advice. Harry is getting to be as much of a git as Ron, thought Hermione! Ginny ended up falling asleep. It did not matter to Hermione that Ginny had drifted away from their friendship, she forgave her and was glad to have her friend back. She did not tell Ginny what she interrupted in the kitchen. Merlin knows what would have happened if Ginny had not walked in. Well, Hermione knows what would have happened. As Natalie would say, she almost lost her V-card on the kitchen table!

**Enjoy all this drama! Will Draco and Hermione ever be able to finish what they start? Always something getting in the way! Sebastian is a sneaky one. He put a little extra in the shampoo, a charm intended to relax Hermione. He also charmed it to where it would only have that effect on her and no one else unless that person is her true soul mate.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing regarding Harry Potter, but thank you Ms. J.K. Rowling for sharing his world with us!**

Ginny returned to her dorm early the next morning. She and Hermione hugged and Hermione let her know that she would always be there for her. Ginny needed to be strong and maybe fight fire with fire. Harry thinks they should see other people, Ginny should do just that. There were plenty of guys at Hogwarts who thought Ginny was a total babe. She would have no problem finding someone new except for the fact that she was still in love with Harry. Hermione wondered what was up with Harry to make a decision like that. Harry was normally level-headed and not nearly as shallow as Ron. "Men and boys are dogs!" Hermione thought.

Since she was already awake, Hermione decided to get ready for the day. Although she had been living it up in the past few weeks, her homework and assignments were done. She was still a responsible student, but now she actually had a life and was having fun. She was standing at her closet and deciding what to wear. She did not notice when her door opened and Draco snuck up behind her. She gave a small gasp as strong arms wrapped around her waist. She closed her eyes and leaned against his hard chest. He was warm and his arms felt so good around her. She smiled and turned to face him.

"Good morning." Hermione said as she reached up to kiss him.

"Good morning to you. Every morning should be like this." Draco said as he kissed her back. His kiss was so full of passion, as if he wanted to devour her.

"Ooh, did someone miss me last night?" Hermione said and giggled.

"Yes, thanks to Weaselette interrupting us. What was her problem, anyway?" Draco asked.

"Stop calling her that, her name is Ginny! Harry broke it off with her. He wants to see other people and she does not. She still loves him. I can't believe Harry did that. I think he will regret it." Hermione answered.

"Sorry for the Weaselette comment, Ginny is actually quite pretty. I wonder what is up with Potter. I can tell you that Blaise has always had a thing for Ginny, so now that Potter is out of the way, who knows." Draco replied.

"Really, Blaise likes Ginny? This may turn out to be very interesting for her. I think Harry will learn a difficult lesson for letting her go like that." Hermione said.

"Enough about Potter and Ginny's love life! I want to know about us." Draco said as he threw Hermione onto her bed and pounced on top of her.

Hermione started to laugh and grabbed a pillow to beat on him.

"Get off of me, you arrogant git!" Hermione exclaimed as she continued to hit him with the pillow.

Draco dodged her blows and took the pillow away from her. He pinned her wrists and started to kiss her again. She kissed him back and pouted when he pulled away.

"Say the magic word and I will let you go." Draco said and smiled.

"I don't know if I want to say the magic word, I kind of like this." Hermione replied and blushed a little.

Damn, she was so cute and hot when she blushed. He kissed her more, and then moved down to kiss her neck and collarbone. He moved to her ear and said, "Say please Draco."

"Please Draco." Hermione whispered.

"Please what?" Draco whispered back.

"Please Draco or we will be late for class!" Hermione said and pushed him off.

She walked back to her closet and Draco stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her again. He could not get enough of her.

Hermione sighed, "I don't know what I want to wear today."

"Let me pick an outfit." Draco said.

"Draco, I cannot go to class in my knickers!" Hermione replied.

"I would love to experience that, knowing you were only wearing a bra and those tiny little panties under your school robe." Draco said as he kissed the back of her neck.

Hermione knew she was going to have to get him out of her room if she wanted to get to class in time. She turned and faced him. "Draco, as much as I would love to continue this, we really need to get to class!"

"Mm, this feels so nice. Do we have to go to class today, can't we skip?" Draco asked.

"Excuse me, Mr. Head Boy, we have to set an example remember?" Hermione said teasingly.

"Yes, Ms. Head Girl. Okay, I will go back and get dressed." Draco said grudgingly and smiled.

They kissed one more time and both proceeded to dress and make their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Hermione walked in to the Great Hall and sat near Ginny. As she was pouring milk on her cereal, she saw Harry and Ron at the Hufflepuff table. They were chatting up two fifth-year girls. Ginny was watching too and looked as if she were about to cry. Hermione noticed and grabbed her hand.

"Stay strong Gin. Do not let him know his flirting with someone else is getting to you. Stay indifferent, it will get to him after awhile."

"You're right 'Mione. It just hurts so much and it doesn't help when it seems like everyone in the Hall knows we broke up. And are talking about it." Ginny replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "I have been the subject of gossip a few times this year, I assure you the novelty of it will wear off. They will move on to something else."

Hermione noticed a fourth year Gryffindor named Gregory had his laptop computer and kept grinning at her. She looked at Ginny and said, "Why is that little shit grinning at me?"

"I don't know, but I am sure you are going to find out." Ginny said and laughed. She was so glad that she was close to Hermione again. Hermione's reassurance made her feel much better.

Hermione stood up and walked up to Gregory. His grin faded when Hermione was able to see the screen of the computer. He had taken one of the photos of her in a bikini and used it as his wallpaper. She looked at the screen for a few seconds, and then quietly told the young boy,

"Delete it now or I will shove that laptop so far up your arse it will have to be surgically removed. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am! It will not happen again. I am sorry. Look, it's gone!" Gregory said as his face reddened with embarrassment.

"Good job. You better not let it happen again. Maybe now I can eat breakfast in peace." Hermione answered. She walked back to her seat and finished her breakfast.

Ginny was shaking her head. "I don't know what transformation you went through over the summer, but I like it. You kick ass Hermione Granger."

Hermione only smiled. Sometimes a little attitude went a long way.

Draco watched the exchange from the Slytherin table. Even from where he was sitting, he could tell the fourth year Gryffindor was shaking in his boots after Hermione confronted him. He loved watching his girl in action. His girl, he liked the sound of that. He also noticed Ron and Harry flirting with the Hufflepuff girls. "What a pair of gits," he thought to himself. Those idiots let go of the two hottest girls at Hogwarts.

"Hey Draco, did you hear Potter broke up with Ginny?" Blaise asked.

"Oh yeah, she was in our dorm last night blubbering about it to Hermione." Draco replied.

"You think I have chance with Ginny?" Blaise said.

"Only one way to find out, follow me." Draco said. He and Blaise walked over to the Gryffindor table and stopped near Hermione and Ginny.

"Shall we walk you lovely ladies to class?" Draco asked.

"Sure, that would be great. Gin, are you ready?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I am done. Let's go." Ginny replied.

Draco offered his arm to Hermione and Blaise did the same to Ginny. Ginny was surprised to see Blaise Zabini smiling at her. She accepted his arm and they followed Draco and Hermione out of the Great Hall.

This did not go unnoticed by Ron and Harry. The rest of the student body was abuzz too. They were used to seeing Malfoy and Granger, but Zabini and Weasley? Damn!

"Oi, did you see that? Hermione and Ginny just walked out of here with those Slytherin pricks!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, I saw that, but hey we have dates for Hogsmeade this weekend!" Harry said with enthusiasm, but he could not help having a sinking feeling in his stomach. Did he make a major mistake breaking up with Ginny? She seemed to have recovered quickly.

Ginny had a different first period class, so the group walked her over to her classroom. Hermione was glad to see Ginny looked happier. Blaise asked her to be his date in Hogsmeade the following weekend and she accepted. Blaise was still smiling as he walked by Draco and Hermione. "So he really did like Ginny!" Hermione thought to herself.

"What are your plans for the weekend, Ms. Granger?" Draco asked.

"I have nothing planned; it certainly won't be like this past weekend." Hermione answered and giggled.

"Well, if your schedule isn't too full, perhaps you can be my date for Hogsmeade." Draco said.

"Why I would love to be your date, Mr. Malfoy." Hermione replied.

Draco gave her a quick kiss before they walked into class. Ron was seething inside when he saw Malfoy kiss Hermione. What were Hermione and his sister up to, hanging out with Slytherins?

The week went by without incident. Draco and Hermione shared long kisses in their dorm, but Hermione held him back. She really wanted to sleep with him, but was still apprehensive. What if when she finally gave in to Draco, he would not be interested anymore? Again, why couldn't she be more like other girls and just sleep with him? Even though she had adapted this tough attitude over the past few months, she still could not shake off that "good girl" outlook about sex. Hermione knew Draco was getting frustrated and she would have to make a decision soon.

Friday night arrived and Hermione decided she would pay Sebastian a visit. She missed her friend and she knew he would set her straight. Draco was going to an exploding snap tournament in the Slytherin's dorm. He and his friends had marathon playing sessions, along with drinking Firewhiskey and Butterbeer. He invited Hermione, but she told him she was going to visit Sebastian. Draco kissed her and said he would see her in the morning.

Hermione walked to the corridor near the Hufflepuff dorm and made sure no one saw her. She threw the floo powder and called out Sebastian's address. She arrived at his home and he was waiting for her.

"I missed you, my sista! I was so bored! Phillip has been gone for most of the week and will not be back until tomorrow night. I am glad you are here, let's have a girls night in."

"That sounds like a plan. I missed you too. I know we email each other, but it isn't the same. What do you want to do?" Hermione asked.

"How about we watch movies, eat junk, and you can catch me up on what's been going on with you." Sebastian answered.

"You read my mind. Let me get my pajamas on." Hermione laughed and said.

They watched Bridesmaids and they laughed until they had tears in their eyes. Hermione loved how she could cut loose with Sebastian. He had put out a spread of different types of potato chips, cookies, soft drinks, ice cream, and candy. Sebastian did not do anything halfway, even when putting together junk food.

They started watching Across the Universe, which Hermione loved. She was watching the part when Evan Rachel Wood's character, Lucy, was singing about her boyfriend coming back home to visit. When the actress sang "It won't be long til I belong to you," it made her think of Draco. She decided at that moment she wanted to belong to him no matter what consequences followed.

She spoke to Sebastian about whether she should sleep with Draco.

"Honey, you know my stance on that. I say go for it. You want him, he wants you. You are a hot looking couple, I say shag the crap out of each other."

"You know Sebastian, I think I will go for it. I will officially lose my virginity to Draco Malfoy the night we return from our date in Hogsmeade." Hermione said.

"Well hell's bells darling, it is about fucking time. Let me know if you see fireworks when it all goes down." Sebastian said sarcastically.

Hermione laughed and threw a chip at him. They continued to watch movies and finally fell asleep at about 2 a.m.

She woke up the next morning at 9 a.m. and decided to head back to Hogwarts. Sebastian hugged her and told her how much he enjoyed having her over. Hermione smiled and waved as she disappeared through the floo network. She could not wait to see Draco.

Hermione arrived back at Hogwarts without incident. She thanked Merlin that no one spotted her. She walked back to the dorm and gave the password to get in. It was oddly quiet, but she figured Draco was still asleep, so she decided to surprise him. When she walked into his bedroom, he was not alone. Draco was clad in boxers and there was a girl beside him whom Hermione recognized as Astoria Greengrass. Astoria was wearing one of Draco's T-shirts. Hermione could not believe it, the horny bastard slept with someone else. If that is how he wanted it, fine. She did not need this bullshit. To think, she was going to give in to him!

Hermione closed Draco's door quietly and went to her room. She put together an outfit and laid it out on her bed, then went to the bathroom to take a shower. Draco heard the shower running and thought happily, "Hermione's back." Then, he looked over and saw Astoria in his bed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He asked as he shook Astoria awake.

"Good morning to you too!" Astoria replied in a surly tone.

"What are you doing in my bed? You better have a damn good explanation." Draco said.

"Look, you were so drunk last night; I helped you get back to your bed. I was too tired to walk back to my dorm, so I didn't think you would mind if I stayed here." Astoria answered in her squeaky baby girl voice.

"Well you thought wrong. You need to get dressed and get out of here. I know nothing happened. Just get back to your dorm and I will forget about this." Draco replied.

"No, nothing happened unfortunately. But we can change that." Astoria said as she removed Draco's T-shirt.

Draco turned away from her. "Astoria get dressed and get out of here. There is someone in my life and I don't need a trollop like you ruining my relationship with her."

"Fine, I will get out of here. You are no fun!" Astoria said as she put on her clothes back on.

As soon as she was dressed, Draco practically pushed her out of the dorm. Thank Merlin, Hermione never noticed. He heard her leave the bathroom, so he went in and peed. When he was done, he entered her bedroom. Hermione had only been gone for one night, but he had really missed her. He could not wait to have her in his arms again.

When Draco walked in, she was sitting at her desk in her underwear. He suppressed a groan as he took in her pink pushup bra and matching thong. She truly was spectacular. She was typing on her computer and did not hear when he came in.

Hermione knew Draco walked in but deliberately ignored him and continued typing her email to Sebastian and Natalie. She was letting them know what she saw in Draco's bedroom. As she typed, he put his arms around her and cupped one of her breasts. He kissed her neck and it felt so good. She really wanted to give in to him, but after what she witnessed there was no way. She pushed his arms away and continued typing.

"What the hell?" Draco asked, feeling a little hurt.

Hermione stopped typing and turned to face him. "What the hell, you ask? I can ask the same thing. I am gone for one night and you have someone warming your bed. Just stay away from me. You make me sick."

"Hermione, please let me explain. Nothing happened! I was drunk and she climbed in my bed." Draco said in a pleading manner. He could not believe Hermione saw Astoria in his bed. How was he going to fix this. Oh, this was bad.

"Draco, why don't you tell me that monkeys are going to fly out of your arse next. Do you really think I am that fucking stupid? Best thing for you to do is to get out of my face before I hex you into oblivion." Hermione replied.

"Hermione, I am so sorry but it is not what you think. Please believe me." Draco answered. He almost told her he loved her, but wisely decided that would probably not go over well with her at the moment. He walked back to his room and shut the door. He angrily wiped away tears that had formed. How did things get so fucked up in such a short amount of time?

Hermione was hurt, but did not cry. Her crying days were over. She would get over this. At least she learned what Draco really was about. She could not stop thinking about how much she had looked forward to having sex with him. Scratch that, she could not believe how close she had come to giving herself to Draco. He was a dog like the rest of them.

She heard Draco walk out. Hermione shook her head and still was trying to process what happened as she dressed. She decided to go to Hogsmeade alone. Amazing how things could get so screwed up within a few hours. It was going to be a cold day so she dressed in a long magenta sweater paired with black leggings. She pushed her feet into knee-length black suede boots with flat heels. Hermione applied her makeup lightly, but made her eyes have a smoky look. She liked the effect and silently thanked Sebastian for showing her that trick. She left her hair down and it fell in silky curls down her back. Taking one last look in the mirror, she walked out of her room. She might feel like shit, but at least she could make an effort to look good.

Draco was dressed and sitting in a chair in the common room. His breath caught when she walked out, she was just so gorgeous. He hoped he could fix things.

"Hermione please. You have to believe me, nothing happened! Come on, let's talk." Draco said softly as he lightly grabbed her arm.

Hermione stared into his soulful gray eyes and almost succumbed to his pleading. No, she had to be strong. She jerked her arm away and started to walk out of the common room.

"Draco, I am warning you. Leave. Me. Alone. Don't touch me again." Hermione growled.

Draco watched her leave and could not believe what happened. He sighed and left the dorm. Might as well go to Hogsmeade and try to drink the pain away.

Hermione grabbed a carriage going to Hogsmeade. She rode with a few fourth- and fifth-year students from Gryffindor. She smiled at them, but did not want to engage in conversation. The other students sensed this and spoke quietly among themselves on the way to Hogsmeade.

The carriage arrived and the group went their separate ways. Hermione smiled when she saw Blaise and Ginny walking into a café. She hoped their date went well. She walked into the bookstore and immersed herself in the shelves for about two hours. She was pleasantly surprised to see the store now carried muggle books. She selected a few, she was going to be holed up in her room for the next few weeks. She did not even want to think how tense it was going to be trying to ignore Draco.

Hermione's stomach was growling so she stopped in at The Three Broomsticks with the intention of eating lunch. When she walked in, the first faces she saw were Harry and Ron huddled in a corner with their Hufflepuff Hos. She rolled her eyes and still could not believe Harry was acting like such a prick. She wondered what Harry's reaction was going to be when he realized Ginny had a date with Blaise Zabini. She chose to ignore them and went to the bar to place her order. She stifled a giggle when she noticed Misty Goldenrod, Ron's fling from the summer. Misty kept staring towards Ron's table, shooting Ron murderous looks. Hermione shook her head and thought to herself, "He is so not worth it. Do yourself a favor and move on, Misty Goldenrod." Her sandwich arrived and she ate at the bar. She was reading one of her books she had just purchased when someone walked up behind her and spoke.

"How pathetic, eating alone and reading a muggle book. You know Hermione, anytime you want to come back to me, let me know. You don't have to be lonely. I could be a friend to you." Ron whispered in her ear, as his eyes combed over her body.

Hermione could not believe it. She inwardly cringed when she realized Ron was so close to her. He was such a slime ball. He was actually trying to hit on her while he was on a date! She could not believe that at one time she thought she was in love with him. Hermione decided to mess with his head.

She turned towards him and placed her hands on her shoulders. She almost felt guilty when she saw the look of excitement on his face when she touched him. Hermione put her lips as close as she could without actually touching his ear and whispered, "Oh Ronald, do you really mean that?"

"Yes, I meant every word beautiful!" Ron excitedly replied.

"Well, here is what I think of that. Why don't you take a long walk off a short pier? You had your chance. Now be a good boy and fuck off." Hermione whispered sweetly.

Ron could only stand there staring at her; he was dumbfounded. Here he was giving her the chance of a lifetime and she blew him off.

She turned back to her book and shut it. She paid for her order and was about to walk out of the door, when Ron shouted at her.

"Bitch! You know what? I am too good for you. You can change your image anyway you want, but deep down you are still boring Hermione Granger. You are nothing but a useless cow!"

Hermione turned and smiled, "Whatever Ron. You actually did me a favor over the summer. Thank you for treating me like shit, you made me see that there is a whole other world out there. You really need to get on with your life; I have." With that, she walked out.

It was very quiet in The Three Broomsticks. Ron's face was as red as his hair. He made his way back to his table and did not seem to care when his date stomped off with Harry's date. Oh, the Hogwarts gossip mill was going to be working overtime with these turn of events.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked.

"I don't know Harry. I honestly thought she would come crawling back. Hermione was always there for me. I cannot understand her new attitude. She used to worship the ground I walked on." Ron replied.

"I wouldn't go that far Ron. You pushed her away over the summer. Hermione definitely was always there for you and you took her for granted. Now you have to pay the price. You will be lucky if she even wants to be friends with you now." Harry said.

"I am done with her; I don't even want to be friends. It will never be the same. There are other girls out there. Oi, what happened to our dates?" Ron asked as shallow as ever.

"Well, I don't think it went over very well when you decided to flirt with Hermione. That's really something you should not do on a date, try to pick up other girls." Harry said sarcastically.

"Fine, we will find other dates. Those Hufflepuffs were kind of boring. I only asked Tanja out because I heard she puts out." Ron answered.

"You know Ron, I don't know why I have been listening to you. I cannot believe I broke up with Ginny after your little speech about expanding my horizons in the form of dating other girls. I don't want anyone else. I am out of here. I will see if I can find Ginny and do anything I can to patch this up." Harry said.

"Fine, you wanker. You are just as boring as Hermione. Enjoy your dull life." Ron said as he sulked.

Harry was used to Ron being so small-minded, but he could not believe he actually listened to him. He left The Three Broomsticks hoping to find Ginny. He saw a flash of red hair and started to walk towards her. He stopped in his tracks when he saw that Ginny was not alone. She was holding Blaise Zabini's hand and laughing at something he said. Harry turned away and made his way to the carriage that would take him back to Hogwarts.

Hermione was seated in the carriage and saw the whole thing. She was sad for Harry, but he made the choice to break up with Ginny. Harry stepped into the carriage and sat beside her. Hermione gave him a small smile and took his hand. Harry looked relieved and put his head on her shoulder.

"I messed up 'Mione. I wonder if I will be able to get her back. I cannot believe I was so stupid. Why did I listen to Ron and his bullshit?" Harry said.

"Harry, we all make mistakes. Believe me, I know how you are feeling. You will have to make it up to Ginny. I don't know how, but I am sure you will think of something." Hermione replied.

They rode the rest of the way in a companionable silence, each of them consumed by their own thoughts of love they lost.

The carriage dropped them off at the castle. Harry and Hermione hugged and went to their dorms. Hermione walked into her dorm, her heart beating fast, wondering if Draco was there. She was relieved when she was alone. Putting on a comfortable pair of pajamas and reading until she fell asleep was what she planned to do until she checked her email.

_Hey Beeyotch!_

_Why don't you come over tonight to meet Phillip and me? I know you are down in the dumps and maybe we can cheer you up. Phillip scored tickets for Rihanna's concert and we have an extra one…. Just saying. If you are up for it, you know what you need to do. I also have the perfect outfit for you if you decide to join us. We are leaving at 7 p.m. If you make it good, it not, some other time. _

_Love Ya!_

_Sebastian_

Hermione smiled to herself. Yeah, a night out with Sebastian and Phillip sounded more inviting than staying alone in her dorm. She checked the time and noticed that it was 6:00 p.m. She needed to go! She packed a few essentials and left the dorm room. She had to hide from Hufflepuff students arriving back at their dorm. Hermione could not risk being seen. Finally, the coast was clear and she was able to leave Hogwarts.

Earlier that day, Draco had also gone to Hogsmeade. He had followed Hermione from a distance so she would not notice. She never saw him sitting in a dark corner at The Three Broomsticks. He watched the whole exchange with the Weasel and was pleased Hermione put him in his place. He saw her leave with Potter and was going to leave too, but the Firewhiskey was going down too well. He was totally inebriated when Blaise and Ginny found him.

"Dray, what the hell?" Blaise asked. He could not believe his friend was so wasted.

"I thought he and Hermione were spending the day together. I don't see her anywhere." Ginny stated.

"About that. We were playing exploding snap in our dorm last night and Draco drank a little too heavily. Astoria Greengrass took it upon herself to help him back to his dorm. The little tramp stayed for the night. I think Hermione walked in on them." Blaise said sheepishly.

"That is just so messed up. Look, we will have to get Draco back and make sure the professors do not see the Head Boy so out of it. We could lose Hogsmeade privileges for this kind of behavior." Ginny answered.

They were able to drag Draco out of The Three Broomsticks and get him back to Hogwarts without anyone noticing. Ginny wondered where Hermione was and if her friend was okay. Blaise had told her he did not think anything happened between Draco and Astoria. He knew how strong Draco's feelings were for Hermione. It was a messed up situation and he had no clue as to how Draco was going to fix it. Blaise and Ginny entered the dorm room and put Draco to bed. They wondered if he even noticed since he fell on the bed and immediately started to snore. Ginny looked at Blaise and could not help laughing at the sight of the Slytherin Sex God passed out and snoring. They left the dorm and Blaise walked her back to Gryffindor.

"I hope you had a nice time today. Well with the exception of helping me with a drunken friend!" Blaise said.

"I did and thank you for having me out. It was quite an experience." Ginny replied and giggled.

"Alright then, I will let you get back. Maybe we can do this again sometime." Blaise said.

"Sure, I would like that." Ginny said. She reached up and gave him a peck on the lips.

Blaise pulled her close to him and kissed her fully. They pulled away from each other and he waved. As Ginny walked back into her dorm, she thought about the kiss. She enjoyed it, but the thrill she felt when Harry touched or kissed her was missing. Incidentally, when she walked in the common room, Harry was there.

"Ginny, can we talk?" Harry asked.

Ginny wanted to say no, but he looked so pathetic, she gave in. "What do you want Harry?"

"I am an idiot, I screwed up. I was stupid and listened to Ron's crap. Can you forgive me? I understand if you won't, but can we please try?" Harry pleaded as he got onto his knees.

This embarrassed Ginny. "Harry, get up. Let me get to my room and I will come back down. We'll talk about it."

Harry was relieved; she was going to give him a chance. When Ginny came back down, they talked for about two hours. They patched things up and Ginny was happy. She warned Harry that if he ever pulled a stunt like that again, she would hex him into the next century. He assured her that he was a changed man and she was the girl for him. She kissed him goodnight; she was tired and glad to be in her bed. As she was falling asleep, she felt guilty about Blaise. It was only one date; it wasn't as if she was marrying him. Ginny would have to tell him she and Harry were back together.

Hermione arrived at Sebastian's at about 6:05 p.m. He was waiting and so excited that she made it.

"Yayyyy! I am so happy you are here. Love Rihanna, I cannot wait." Sebastian squealed.

"Thank you for inviting me. I guess I better get dressed so we can get out of here." Hermione answered as she laughed. She was looking forward to seeing the concert too. She and Natalie had listened to plenty of Rihanna songs over the summer.

Sebastian and Phillip wore leather pants and tight button-down shirts. Sebastian pulled out a pink rhinestone mini-dress from the closet in the guest bedroom. He threw it to Hermione.

"Darling, I saw this in a display window one day and it screamed your name. I was waiting for the right occasion for you to wear it. I think this is it! I have the shoes too, hee hee!"

"Wow, this is really gorgeous. I cannot wait to try it on." Hermione said.

She went into the bathroom and put on the dress. It had a halter neckline and hugged her curves. Hermione loved it and it looked great with the strappy silver heels. Not only was Sebastian a genius with hair, he knew how to pick clothes too. She walked out and was met with wolf whistles.

"I take it you approve?" Hermione asked.

"Hell yes! Do I know how to pick clothes or what?" Sebastian asked as he turned to Phillip.

"You always had an eye for fashion dear. I am not surprised. Hermione you look great!" Phillip said.

"Thank you both so much. I am so grateful to have you guys in my life." Hermione replied.

"We are happy to have you too, babydoll. Come on, I will touch up your makeup and hair, then we will be off to see Rihanna!" Sebastian exclaimed.

They left at 7:00 p.m. sharp in a limousine. Hermione was impressed. Phillip said that he had done a huge favor for one of the higher ups at the Ministry and this was his reward. The limousine sped through the traffic and they made it to the stadium. Along with arriving in style, Phillip had also scored seats that were very close to the stage. The lights went down not long after they were seated. The show began.

Rihanna killed it! From the time of her first song until the last, Hermione and Sebastian never sat down. They danced the whole time. Phillip was much more low-key than Sebastian; he danced for a few songs, but mainly watched Sebastian and Hermione. He was glad that they had a good time. Hermione really loved "Only Girl (In the World)." The song described how Draco made her feel. She felt a wave of sadness come over her when she thought about seeing him with Astoria, but she quickly pushed it away. She still wanted to give in to him, but she could not let her heart overrule her head. She could not trust Draco no matter how strong her feelings were for him.

When the concert ended, the limousine brought them back to Sebastian and Phillip's home. Phillip had cooked a roast with vegetables that day, so they sat and at a late dinner. They discussed the concert and let Hermione know that if Phillip ever had this opportunity again, she would definitely be joining them. After eating and talking for a few hours, Hermione realized it was 1:00 a.m. She decided she better get back to Hogwarts.

Sebastian and Phillip were sad to see her go but they knew the consequences she would face if she were caught sneaking in and out of the school. Hermione knew she was taking a risk, but it was just so much damn fun! She changed back into the jeans and sweater she had worn to get there and went back. Sebastian had wanted her to keep the dress and shoes, but she left it at his house. It was not exactly an outfit she would wear at Hogwarts!

Hermione arrived back at Hogwarts and was greeted with silence. Thank Merlin no one was up. As she stepped out of the long corridor, she came face to face with Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. "Bollocks!" Hermione thought. She would have to come up with an explanation quickly, for if the cat was there, Filch was not far behind. As she was starting to walk back to her dorm, she felt someone grab her arm.

"And just what are you doing lurking in the halls at this hour?" It was Filch!

Hermione's mind sprang to action. "Ah, Mr. Filch. I am so glad to see you. I decided to patrol this area after a few complaints of terrible noise coming from this area. It is my responsibility being Head Girl and all. It is most reassuring to have you here to investigate this with me."

She held her breath and wondered if the old bastard would believe her. "Yes, you should be grateful that I am here. Were you able to find anything?" Filch replied.

Hermione could not believe it, her ruse was actually working! "No Mr. Filch, it seems to be quiet now. Well, my work is done here; I suppose I will get back to my dorm. Thank you for your assistance."

"Yes, carry on now. It is good to see that some students take their duties seriously." Filch said.

She almost ran back to her dorm room, but she restrained herself. Hermione could not help that Mrs. Norris was on to her! She was going to have to be very careful using that floo network. Filch and Mrs. Norris will probably patrol that area regularly since she brought their attention to it.

Hermione made it back to the dorm and was about to go to her room when something stopped her. She could not help but check in on Draco. She opened the door of his bedroom a crack and peered in. Draco was snoring lightly and sprawled on his back. He had kicked the comforter away. Hermione's breath caught as he saw him shirtless. How she longed to run her hands on his sculpted chest again. She quickly closed the door and told herself, "No, you cannot do this! He is a cheater!" She went back to her bedroom and changed into pajamas. She climbed into bed thinking she would be asleep once her head touched the pillow, but that was not to be. Her mind kept racing with thoughts of Draco and she did not fall asleep for about another hour.

Morning arrived and Hermione could not believe she was wide-awake at 8:00 a.m. She decided to get up and take a run around the campus. She changed into a long-sleeved T-shirt and Nike running tights. She fastened her hair into a high ponytail and put on her trainers. The IPod was charged so she was ready to go. It was freezing outside since it was November, but once she warmed up, she started to sweat. It was an invigorating run and she went about 5 miles. This cleared her head and Hermione felt she would be able to face anything that was thrown her way.

She was heading back to her dorm when she realized she really needed to pee. She ran into the girl's restroom near the Great Hall. She was getting ready to walk out of the stall when two girls walked in and their conversation piqued her curiosity.

"Tell me, how did your night with the Slytherin Sex God go? I am so jealous."

"Oh Roxy, don't tell anyone, but nothing happened! Draco Malfoy was passed out drunk! What a waste of time. He is a complete bore." Astoria Greengrass said.

"So all those rumors are made up?" Roxy asked.

"I guess so. I tried to get something going and he told me there was someone in his life." Astoria replied.

"I wonder who she is. Wait, I always see him with that Granger chick. She's the Head girl. Maybe it's her." Roxy said.

"Oh I seriously doubt Draco has something going on with Miss Stuck Up Gryffindor Princess." Astoria said and snorted.

"I don't know, Granger had a major makeover this past summer. She looks good and I love her clothes." Roxy replied.

"Well I for one do not see that happening. She is way too boring for Draco." Astoria said.

"Looks like you were too, Astoria darling." Roxy said. She enjoyed taking Astoria down a few pegs. If anyone was stuck up, it was Astoria!

"Whatever! I am out of here." Astoria said as she rolled her eyes and walked out.

Roxy took one last look at her reflection and shook her head laughing. It was fun to get Astoria riled up. She walked out of the restroom and Hermione was alone again.

Hermione could not believe what she had just heard. Draco had not lied! She was so excited, yet apprehensive about how she was going to approach him. This changed everything.

She made it back to the dorm and was glad to see that Draco had not awakened. She stripped out of her running clothes and took a shower. When she was done, she dressed carefully. She decided to put on a green silky sleep shirt she had bought at Victoria's Secret. The silk felt good against her skin and complemented her complexion. She applied her favorite apple-scented lotion and was ready. Hermione was going to seduce Draco Malfoy.

She laughed to herself and could not believe what she was going to do. She went to the kitchen and decided to make a quick brunch since it was after 11:00 a.m. She started to prepare pancakes, bacon, and sausage. Her mother always told her the way to a man's heart was through his stomach!

Draco had been up for a few hours, but stayed in his room. He had listened as Hermione had showered. He so wanted to approach her, but he figured she was still mad. Draco had taken a hangover potion as soon as he had woken up, so his head was clear. He made his way to the bathroom and decided to shower. He breathed in the scent of the lotion Hermione wore. He felt his dick twitch and stepped into the shower. It was going to be difficult living with her and having these strong feelings. He hoped he could convince her nothing happened and make it up to her. Draco finished his shower and dressed. He pulled on a T-shirt and cargo shorts over his green boxers. It was freezing outside, but very warm in their dorm. He decided to take a chance and see if Hermione would talk to him. Draco made his way to the kitchen.

When he arrived at the entrance of the kitchen, he stifled a groan. Hermione was dressed in what looked like a man's button down shirt. It reached her about mid-thigh and just covered her buttocks. If she was still pissed off at him, he was going to lock himself up in his bedroom. There was no way he could resist her. He wanted to take her right there in the kitchen.

Hermione sensed that she was not alone. She turned and saw Draco watching her. His eyes were dark and he looked like he was ready to pounce on her. "Good." Hermione thought. That was what she wanted. She was so nervous and her stomach was fluttering, but she kept her cool.

"Draco." Hermione said when she turned and saw him.

"Hermione. How are you?" Draco asked. He could not believe it when she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. She had the table filled with food, but that was forgotten as she faced him.

"I am much better since I overheard Astoria saying that nothing happened the other night." Hermione answered as she looked into his eyes.

"Oh love, I am so glad you believe me. Hermione, I was in agony. I had no idea how I was going to make things better." Draco said softly.

Hermione put a finger to his lips and smiled. "Shh. I know how I want to make things better. I want you Draco. Now."

Draco did not need any more encouragement. He pulled her tightly against him and crushed his lips to hers. He kissed her as if he was a man dying of thirst and she was the only thing that would quench it. Without breaking their kiss, he started to steer her to his bedroom.

Hermione knew where they were headed and she was ready. As Draco kissed her, she felt small tingles of pleasure throughout her body. Why was Draco the only one to make her feel this way? She was so excited and could not wait to give herself to him.

Draco was amazed at the turn of events. He was finally going to have Hermione. He silently cast a locking charm on the dorm. There were going to be no interruptions today! They finally made it to his bedroom. He reluctantly let go of Hermione and gently pushed her down onto his bed. She looked up at him with half-closed eyes and put her arms out. He climbed onto the bed and on top of her. He kissed her again and she ran her hands through his hair. He loved when she touched him. He felt small blissful darts moving down his whole body. Hermione was the only girl to ever do this to him.

Hermione felt his tongue push into her mouth and she sucked on it eagerly. She thought she was going to lose it when he bit gently on her lower lip. She ran her hands under his T-shirt and pulled it up. Draco threw it over his head and onto the floor. He slowly started to unbutton the front of her sleep shirt. When he was done, he sat up and looked at her. "Beautiful." Draco thought. He was finally going to have her gorgeous breasts again. He intended on taking his time savoring every inch of her delectable body. He pulled her up to him and removed her sleep shirt. She was clad only in a green thong. They both loved the feel of their bare bodies rubbing against each other.

Hermione threw her head back as Draco sucked on each of her breasts. He teased each nipple with his tongue and kept his eyes on Hermione's face the whole time. He loved the way she reacted and was getting harder by the second. She reached down and started to unbutton his cargo shorts. Draco was wearing way too many clothes. This turned him on even more and he pulled the shorts down and kicked them off. Hermione opened her legs and Draco positioned himself between them. He reached down and kissed her again. He moved to her neck and collarbone. He came to her necklace and inserted the small tooth in his mouth. He could not believe the shock of pleasure he received when he did that. He wondered if it was enchanted in some way.

Hermione could feel his erect penis pressing down on her. She reached down and rubbed the front of his boxers. Draco groaned and kissed her again. He nibbled on her ear and whispered, "Are you sure you know what you are getting into love? Once we get to this point, we cannot turn back."

"I want you so badly Draco. Take it off; I want to see all of you." Hermione said breathlessly.

"Oh babe. You don't know how long I have been waiting for this." Draco said with excitement.

Hermione reached for the waistband of his boxers and pulled him down. Her eyes widened when she saw his erect penis. She had seen Lenny's before and thought it was a good size, but Draco was huge. She was a little scared, but still excited. There were a few drops of precum glistening on the tip. Hermione felt the urge to lick it off. What was coming over her? She never felt this way before.

Draco removed her tiny thong and groaned when he felt how wet the panties were. Hermione wanted him and was so ready. He started to kiss her again and inserted one of his long fingers into her. He almost gasped when he felt how tight and wet she was. She gave a small groan when he put his finger in her and bucked her hips towards his hand. Draco inserted another finger and rubbed her clit with his thumb.

"What is he doing to me?" Hermione thought. This was all so new to her. She could not wait to have his penis inside of her. She reached down and grabbed his penis and pushed it towards her entrance.

Draco was pleasantly surprised at this. She wanted him. He did not intend to disappoint her. He positioned his dick and started to push in. He was met with resistance and was shocked. Hermione was still a virgin?

"Hermione baby, is this your first time?" Draco asked softly.

"Yes." Hermione said shyly as she turned away. She was embarrassed.

Draco turned her face to face him. "Don't be embarrassed. Are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to hurt you."

"Yes, I want to Draco. I want you to be my first." Hermione said as she looked right into his eyes.

"Oh 'Mione." Draco whispered softly. He kissed her again and started to thrust gently. Her body finally gave in and his penis broke through. Hermione gave a gasp and bit into his shoulder when the sharp pain hit as he finally entered her. Draco stopped and Hermione shook her head.

"It's okay baby, keep going. I want you so badly."

That was all Draco needed to hear. He continued to move in and out of her slowly. He did not want to go faster because he would reach his orgasm too quickly. Hermione was perfect. He could not believe that he was her first. Draco was so in love with her and wanted to tell her, but held back.

Hermione had her eyes closed. The pain she felt when he broke through her hymen subsided and now it felt wonderful to have Draco inside of her. She only wished she would have given in to him sooner. Hermione really felt in her heart that he was always meant to be her first. She had truly fallen for him.

They continued like this for a few minutes. Draco smiled down at her and kissed her. Hermione smiled back and thrust her hips for him to move faster. She could not believe how sensuous this all was. She now knew what the big deal about sex was. Draco growled as he felt her hips thrust and began to thrust faster. Hermione felt a strong sensation build up within her. Draco felt his orgasm building as he looked down at Hermione.

"Are you getting close baby?" Draco whispered in her ear.

"Oh yeah, so close Draco. You feel so good." Hermione said.

"C'mon, let's reach it together. Cum for me." Draco said.

He thrust a few more times and started to feel his release. She could not believe the pleasure she felt at the same time his seed spilled into her. Hermione so did not regret doing this. She had finally given all of herself to him.

Draco stayed inside of her after, still breathing heavily. This was so incredible; he still could not believe this happened. He was actually Hermione's first. This made him love her even more if that was possible. He moved off and to the side of her. He pulled Hermione to him so her head rested on his chest.

Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable because she had bled onto Draco's sheets. Draco noticed and whispered a "Scourgify" charm and the stain disappeared. He stroked her hair and she sighed.

"Are you okay? Is it what you expected?" Draco asked.

"Draco, I am fine. It was everything I expected and more." Hermione replied.

He pulled her up to him and kissed her deeply. He could not get enough of her. Outside, a light rain started to fall. The drops hitting the roof of the castle made a comforting sound. Draco and Hermione could not imagine being in a better place at the moment. They drifted off to sleep and took a short nap. When they woke up, they made love again. Hermione spent the night in Draco's bed and in his arms. This definitely changed everything.

As the couple slept, Marie Laveau looked down at them and smiled. "Finally, they realize they are meant to be." She happily thought and drifted back to New Orleans.

**I apologize it took so long for the update. Thanksgiving and studying for finals kept getting in the way! Thank you for your patience. Love the reviews and alerts! Draco and Hermione finally did it! Where should I take them?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Harry Potter, just love Draco and Hermione together! Also, I have no intention of ending this story anytime soon.**

Draco woke up Monday morning still not believing Hermione Granger was asleep beside him. He reclined on one arm and rested his head on his hand. As he watched her sleep, he stroked her hair with his hand that was free. Her hair was so soft and smelled like peppermints. Who would have thought the little bushy-haired girl from their first year at Hogwarts would be the love of his life.

Hermione stirred and opened her eyes. For a moment, she almost forgot where she was. She blushed as she remembered the events from the night before. She and Draco had finally made love. She looked over at Draco and smiled.

"Good morning love. Did you sleep well?" Draco asked and smiled seductively.

"I did. This feels nice, waking up with you beside me," Hermione said.

"I know something that will make you feel better," Draco replied as he moved his body on top of hers. They had slept in the nude, so there were no barriers. Hermione felt his stiff rod against her thigh.

"Draco, we have to get ready for class! Besides, I have morning breath, ick!" Hermione answered.

"I can fix that," Draco said as he did a quick breath freshening charm. He kissed her deeply and entered her with one quick thrust. Hermione gasped when he did this; she was still adjusting to his huge cock. So what if they were a few minutes late for class, this was incredible! She brought her hands to the back of his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Oh 'Mione! I love when you do that!" Draco gasped. He came quickly after that. He could not help himself; she looked so luscious lying there in his bed. He had to have her right at that moment.

"I'm sorry that was so quick love. I promise it will be longer next time. I want to take my time exploring every part of you! Are you okay?" Draco asked tenderly.

"It's okay, I enjoyed it. Call it my first "quickie." I want to explore every part of you too Draco!" Hermione whispered.

Draco smiled as he nuzzled her neck. "Quickie?" Is that some muggle term for a short bout of sex?"

"You got it," Hermione replied as she kissed him. She looked at the time on the clock beside Draco's bed. "Draco, we really need to get going!"

They showered together and Hermione had to keep slapping Draco away. He could not keep his hands off of her. Hermione could still not get over this turn of events. It was surreal to her to be in the bathroom with Draco as she watched him dry off. He looked up and saw her staring. He smiled at her and kissed her. Damn, he was so gorgeous.

They dressed in record time and managed to make it to the Great Hall for breakfast. When they entered, Draco grabbed Hermione and gave her a long kiss. He wanted to show everyone that they were a couple and that Hermione was his.

Hermione was not expecting this and the kiss took her breath away. Draco squeezed her hand and made his way to the Slytherin table, never taking his eyes off of her. Hermione walked over to the Gryffindor's table and sat beside Ginny. Everyone else at the table did their best not to stare at her, but there were whispers everywhere in the Great Hall.

"What in Merlin's name was that all about?" Ginny whispered excitedly.

"Gin, I will tell you later, but let's just say Draco and I are together," Hermione whispered back. She could not keep a goofy grin off her face. It felt good to finally know where she and Draco stood.

"'Mione, did you and Draco finally, hmm how can I put this? Seal the deal?" Ginny asked quietly to only where Hermione could hear.

"Yes and then some," Hermione answered and giggled.

Ron watched this whole exchange and did not like it one bit. He watched Hermione and Ginny talking and he figured it out. Hermione and Malfoy was an item and were probably sleeping together. How could Hermione do that with Malfoy of all people?

Harry's impression of the morning's events was quite different. He had picked up on the tension between Hermione and Draco throughout the years. He was not surprised that something like this happened between them especially since they lived together. Harry only wondered why it did not happen sooner.

Ron turned to Harry, "Oi, has Hermione lost her freakin' mind? Malfoy? I don't get it, why him when she could have had me?"

Harry wanted to roll his eyes. Damn, Ron was so conceited! "Ron, she was yours. Do you remember saying she was not "girlfriend material" or did it slip your mind?"

"Yeah, but that was before she got so hot. I cannot believe she is letting that bastard Malfoy have a go at her," Ron answered with a mouthful of sausage.

Harry only shook his head. Ron was a lost cause. Harry caught Ginny's eye and smiled. He was so relieved they patched things up. He would never let Ronald Weasley influence him again!

Draco took a seat beside Blaise. Blaise sat back with his arms folded and looked at his friend.

"I guess Hermione isn't pissed anymore about finding Astoria in your bed?"

"Does she look pissed? Blaise, Hermione is incredible. I have never known anyone like her," Draco replied.

"Stop, you are gushing like a schoolgirl. I have never seen you like this, Draco. I am not sure what to make of it. You and Hermione, huh? Looks like you two have quite a few tongues wagging," Blaise said.

Draco looked around the room and smirked. Let them talk, he was finally with Hermione and no one was going to ruin it for him. He turned to Blaise and asked about Ginny.

"What is up with you and Ginny? Did your date in Hogsmeade go well?"

Blaise sighed. "I thought it went very well, we had fun. With the exception of having to get your drunken arse back here, I thought it was a great date. I was taken aback when she told me yesterday that she and Potter made up. She is a great girl, but I am going to respect her decision. Potter is a lucky bastard."

"I meant to thank you for getting me back here without anyone seeing. That could have been disastrous. I owe you one. I didn't know Ginny and Potter made up. Well, Hermione and I did not do much talking last night," Draco replied with a grin.

"Look at you with your shit-eating grin. You are a lucky bastard too! Man, just one thing. If you really care about Hermione, don't fuck it up," Blaise said.

"What do you mean? You know how I feel about her. I would never hurt Hermione," Draco answered.

"How will your parents feel about that? I know you have moved passed the "pureblood" bullshit, but they haven't. What are you going to do when they start parading eligible pureblood witches for you to marry?" Blaise asked.

Draco got a faraway look on his face. "I try not to think about it. I can't explain it; I only want to be with Hermione. No other woman will compare to her. When the time comes, I will stand up to my parents. I don't want to marry someone I don't know or love."

"Look I am sorry for even bringing that crap up. I just want you to be happy, but I know how much pressure parents can put on us. I know you are strong and so is Hermione. This may sound trite, but if it is meant to be, nothing will stand in the way," Blaise said.

"Hey, enough of this depressing talk. Let's just enjoy our last year of school," Draco said in a lighthearted manner, but inside he wondered about how he was going to face his parents. They would never understand how he could fall for a muggle witch.

Draco pushed all those thoughts aside as he finished his breakfast. He stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor's table to get Hermione. She smiled when she saw him and got up to walk with him to class. Draco smirked at everyone starting at him and Hermione. He put his arm around her and made sure the Weasel noticed. Ron was giving him the evil eye, so Draco turned and mouthed, "All mine." When he said this, he let his eyes move up and down Hermione's body. Draco had to stifle a chuckle because it was so funny to see the Weasel was seething with anger. The stupid git had his chance with Hermione and screwed it up. Draco enjoyed rubbing the Weasel's face in it.

Hermione and Draco left the Great Room amidst everyone buzzing about their new status as a couple. Most girls in the other houses were disappointed. They would never get their chance with the Slytherin Sex God, for it was quite evident that Draco Malfoy was totally taken just by the way he looked at Hermione Granger.

Pansy Parkinson, who had been very quiet since school had begun, watched all this with interest. She was no longer interested in Draco romantically, she thought of him as a friend. Pansy was very happy in her relationship with an older wizard, Lyle Searson. He had graduated from Hogwarts 8 years before and was from a prominent wizarding family. Pansy's family was quite pleased with the match and it was accepted that Pansy would marry Lyle as soon as she graduated from Hogwarts. Pansy was worried about Draco since his parents were like hers and expected that he would marry into a pureblood family. She saw the way he looked at Hermione Granger and wondered how he was going to explain the relationship to his parents. Pansy had matured over the last year and no longer had warped thoughts about tainted blood, but not enough to go against her parents' wishes. She was glad that she was lucky enough to find a pureblooded wizard she actually could love and spend the rest of her life with. Pansy pitied Hermione because there was no way in hell Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were going to accept her for their precious Draco.

Hermione and Draco went to their classes and the day passed by quickly. Draco kissed her any chance he had and wanted to drag her into an empty classroom, but Hermione refused! At the end of the day, he reluctantly went to Quidditch practice, leaving Hermione alone in the dorm.

"I wish I didn't have to practice. I cannot wait to get back. Make sure you are ready!" Draco said as he stepped out of the dorm room.

"Yes! I will be ready, go to practice. I really need to study," Hermione answered.

"No, you don't. You have the highest average in our class, my beautiful intelligent witch. Stay out of the library or I will punish you," Draco said.

"Hmm, that sounds interesting. I think I will go to the library," Hermione said in a teasing manner.

"Go to the library, I dare you. You are a cheeky little minx! You better be back in this room when my practice is over," Draco said as he chuckled and finally left.

Hermione gathered the books she needed and headed to the library. She did not take Draco threat of punishment seriously, besides she really needed to study! Par for the course with Hermione, she lost track of time while she was in the library. Madam Pince had checked on her and asked that Hermione lock up the library when she leaves. Madam Pince trusted Hermione and was used to having the Gryffindor stay later than the usual hours.

Hermione was alone and absorbed in an essay on Principles of Dragon Root. She never heard someone enter the library.

"You disobeyed me, now I will have to punish you."

Startled, Hermione looked up and saw Draco leering at her. He was still in his Quidditch uniform and looked incredibly hot. His hair was tousled and he was still sweating. The green jersey complemented his complexion and blond hair. She liked the way his pants were fitted and were now showing the outline of his arousal.

"Draco! I did not think you were serious. I cannot believe you barged in here still in your uniform. Look, let me get my things together and I will meet you in the dorm," Hermione said.

"I am serious. I am going to take you right here. I am going to fuck you in the library," Draco said slowly as he licked his lips.

Hermione found herself turned on by this side of Draco. So he liked to play games, did he? She could go along with it. She stood up behind the table where she had been sitting. She twisted her hair and bit her bottom lip.

"Oh my, look at the time. I was really studying. Perhaps maybe now would be a good time for a little break. It is a little warm in here too," Hermione said this as she unbuttoned her uniform blouse.

Draco smiled. He was so excited that Hermione was getting into this. He always had a fantasy of taking her in the library. He was astounded it was actually going to happen!

Draco walked over to her table and swept all of her books, quills, and parchment off of the table. He grabbed Hermione and pushed her down onto the table. With that, he forcefully kissed her. She kissed him back ferociously. Hermione could not believe how turned on she was. He was sweaty and dirty, but so delicious at the same time. She wanted Draco.

Draco reached down with his hand and popped the rest of the buttons off of her blouse. Hermione was wearing a white pushup bra with delicate lace scallops along the edges. She stared at Draco as he took in her breasts, her chest was heaving and she was breathless from the kiss. Draco loved the way she looked at the moment, so wanton and lovely. Her bra had a front clasp, so he quickly removed it. He grabbed both of her breasts; he sucked on one and kneaded the other one. Her nipples hardened immediately. Hermione threw her head back in ecstasy. His hands made their way down to her skirt and he lifted it up. He groaned when he saw she was wearing tiny white panties to match the bra. With one hand, he slid them off, all the while staring at her. Hermione could not take it any longer. She reached for the belt buckle of his trousers and quickly undid it. She unbuttoned and unzipped them. Draco removed his trousers and kicked off the boots he wore for Quidditch. He was about to rid himself of the jersey, but Hermione shook her head.

"No, leave it on. I want to be taken by the Slytherin seeker," Hermione said.

"Oh baby, you are really something. I want you so bad!" Draco said. He grabbed Hermione off of the table and shoved her against a book shelf. Hermione's arms encircled his neck. He grabbed her legs and wrapped them around his waist. They were staring at each other, chests heaving, breathless with passion. Draco entered her and Hermione whimpered. She was still not used to his immense girth. Draco sensed this and made slow thrusts into her. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He kissed her again and moved down to her neck. He found her necklace and sucked on the tiny tooth. He had to stop because he felt the powerful charge surge through his body yet again. He moved to her collarbone and sucked until he left a mark. His thrusts became more urgent. Hermione had her hands in his hair and her breath was coming in shallow huffs. She started to feel the gratifying sensation of an orgasm staring. Merlin, Draco was an incredible lover.

"Oh Draco, I am going to come!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hermione, I am getting close too! Come on baby; let's see if we can do it at the same time, Draco said as his breaths shortened.

At that moment, Hermione let out a moan and Draco could not hold out any longer. He spilled his hot seed into her as she came. Hermione was still shaking from the intensity of the orgasm as Draco kissed her passionately.

"This has to the hottest thing I have ever done!" Draco said against her lips.

"Wow, I never thought sex was going to be like this," Hermione replied.

"It is with me love, get used to it," Draco said as he smiled and kissed her neck.

Hermione loved being ravished by Draco, but her practical side took over. "We better get out of here! Can you imagine Madam Pince catching us?"

Draco laughed. "Wouldn't she be in for a shock! I would do it again in a heartbeat, Hermione. Damn, that was spectacular!"

They dressed quickly and Draco helped Hermione pick up the books that he had scattered everywhere. Draco had fulfilled one of her innermost fantasies. She had always wondered what it would be like to make love in the library. Hermione would never see the library the same way again.

The rest of the week went by quickly. On Friday morning after breakfast, Professor McGonagall asked Draco and Hermione to meet her in her office. They walked to her office and wondered why she had summoned them.

"I wonder what this is about," Hermione said.

"Maybe she found out what we did in the library," Draco snickered.

"Draco that is not funny! I would be mortified," Hermione exclaimed.

Draco laughed as they stood in front of the portrait of Dumbledore and gave the password, "squeaky mice." Professor Dumbledore winked at the couple and they made their way to Professor McGonagall's desk. When she saw them approaching, she smiled.

"Please have a seat Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said.

Draco and Hermione sat in the two chairs facing her desk. They looked at each other, still pondering what this meeting was called for.

"How is the year going? You are both doing extremely well in your classes, I am glad to say. I am sure you are curious to find out why I needed to see you," Professor McGonagall said.

"Yes, Professor. Everything is going well I suppose. There have been no major problems this school year," Draco said.

"I agree, the year has been wonderful. It has exceeded my expectations. It is a great thing to see such House unity. Let's get down to business. I asked you here to advise you of an upcoming event. Hogwarts will be hosting a Quidditch Exhibition tournament in February of the following year. I will need you, as my Head Boy and Girl, to form a planning committee. This will be a huge event. All international Quidditch teams will be represented.

Draco and Hermione looked at each other excitedly. A Quidditch tournament at Hogwarts! As the meeting went on, they discussed different strategies with the Headmistress. Professor McGonagall advised that they enjoy their break for Christmas, for there was going to plenty of preparation needed for this event when they returned. She finished their meeting and Draco and Hermione returned to their classes.

"It is incredible Hogwarts will be hosting this! What a grand event, all of my favorite players will be here on the campus," Draco said.

"I know, I think this will be a great way to show the wizarding world we are recovering from the war. It will really bring people together," Hermione replied.

Professor McGonagall asked that they keep the news of the event to themselves, until she was able to make a formal announcement to the student body. She let Draco and Hermione know ahead of time she they would be prepared for the role they would be playing in making this event run smoothly.

When the school day ended, Hermione returned to their dorm. Draco had gone to visit Blaise in the Slytherin dorm. She decided to check her email and saw that there were two new messages. One was from Natalie and the other was from Sebastian.

_Hey Biotch!_

_What is this I hear about a Quidditch tournament at Hogwarts? Lenny is so pumped, he has been playing on the American All-Stars team for the past year. He was a beater while we were in wizarding school and was drafted into the All-Stars when he graduated. I have no idea how he plays football and still finds time for Quidditch, but he does. Anyway, I am so excited about this because I will get to visit you! My parents are planning to come too. This thing is going to be huge!_

_How are you since you lost the v-card, lol! Told you that Malfoy dude was hot! All is well at LSU, finals are breathing down my neck! By the way, did you send your application? You won't regret it. Take care!_

_Love, Nat_

Hermione chuckled and shook her head as she typed out a reply.

_Hey Biotch right back at ya!_

_Isn't that the most amazing news about the tournament? The Headmistress gave Draco and me a detailed list of what we will have to do, but I am looking forward to it. That is so awesome that you and your family will be there. Lenny is just full of surprises! Is there anything he isn't great at? LOL_

_V-card, you are too funny! I am blushing as I type this out to you. I cannot believe some of the things I have done with Draco. I will give you more details when I see you!_

_I sent in my application packet a few weeks ago, so I guess it is "hurry up and wait." I am not sure what I will do. I do not know what my feelings are going to be when I finish here at Hogwarts. It is going so well with Draco and me, I wonder where this is headed. This may sound crazy Nat, but I think he is "The One!" I know you will say that I am "dickmatized," but I cannot help it, LOL!_

_Good luck with your finals and I will be counting down the days until the second weekend of February._

_Love, 'Mione_

Hermione sighed as she hit send. Where were she and Draco headed? She could honestly foresee being with him for the rest of her life. She could not bear to be away from him and attending a university in another country might not be an option anymore.

She opened up Sebastian's email:

_Hello Darling!_

_How are you since your deflowering? Oh my, that is just so crass, but that's just the way I am Honey Bunches! I tell it like it is. I hope you had a good week, mine was splendid. _

_Would you and your beau be available for a small gathering at our home tomorrow night? Philip is in and will be cooking a scrumptious meal! Phil and I want to meet your man and see if he is good enough for our 'Mione. Joking, but we would really love to have you over._

_Let me know! _

_Love, Sebastian xxoo_

Hermione laughed. Sebastian was so over the top, but that was one of the main reasons she grew to love him so much. She typed out her reply.

_Hello Lovebug!_

_Deflowering, ha ha! I am quite well since that event took place, thank you. Let's just say that more events have taken place certifying that I no longer am a card carrying member of the V Club!_

_Dinner with you and Philip sounds wonderful. I will check with Draco, but I am sure we will be able to make it. Yum, my mouth is already watering with anticipation of Philip's meal! _

_Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night and BE NICE!_

_Love, 'Mione xxxxxxoooooo_

With that done, Hermione decided to shower and prepare for a night of staying in. The past week was so intense with Draco, classes, and the news of the Quidditch Tournament. It was going to be relaxing to be able to wind down. She took a quick shower and slipped into a sleep short set she had picked up at Victoria's Secret. The shorts were flannel and turquoise with a zebra print. The top had long sleeves and matched the shorts. Hermione snuggled into bed and felt quite comfortable. She began reading one of the muggle novels she had picked up in Hogsmeade the weekend before. Her eyes began to grow heavy and she fell asleep with book still clutched in her hand.

Draco returned to their dorm about an hour after Hermione had fallen asleep. Usually Hermione was in the common room reading, but she wasn't there. He checked her room and smiled when he saw she had fallen asleep with a book in her hand. He carefully removed it so he would not disturb her. Draco decided to take a quick shower. When he was done, he put on pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. He returned to Hermione's bedroom and climbed in beside her. He pulled her to him so that her head rested on his chest. She stirred but did not wake up. Draco stroked her hair and kissed her lightly on the top of her head. He thought about how lucky he was to have this incredible girl in his arms. He was so in love with her he thought as he fell asleep.

The next morning Hermione woke up first and was not shocked to see Draco sleeping beside her. She admired his good looks and still could not believe she was actually with him. She really needed to pee and ran to the bathroom. When she returned to her bedroom, she decided to look out of the window to see how the weather was. She was pleasantly surprised to see that snow had fallen overnight. She did not hear Draco awaken and come up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. She was a little startled but quickly recovered.

"Oh Draco, isn't the snow beautiful?" Hermione asked.

"Mm, I know something more beautiful, love," Draco murmured into her hair.

Hermione turned and kissed him on the lips. He kissed her back and looked into her big brown eyes. Hermione giggled.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Hermione asked.

"Hermione, I love you," Draco said.

Hermione was taken aback by this, but quickly recovered. "I love you too, Draco," she whispered.

They finally said what they had both been feeling, but holding back for some reason or another. Draco wished he could stay like this forever with Hermione. This was a huge step for them. Draco led her back to the bed and they made love all morning.

Lunchtime came and they realized that they were hungry. Draco made omelets for them. He and Hermione ate quietly at the table.

"Did you want to do anything tonight, love?" Draco asked.

Hermione smiled mischievously. "Are you up for sneaking out of Hogwarts tonight?"

"Woman, what are you up too?" Draco replied and chuckled.

She explained that Sebastian had invited them to dinner. Draco agreed and knew they were going to have to be extra careful avoiding being caught by Filch and Mrs. Norris. Who would have thought Hermione Granger loved bending the rules? He loved that about her.

After they had finished lunch, Hermione sent an email to Sebastian letting him know that she and Draco would be attending their dinner party. Draco was a little nervous. He had only seen Sebastian once and he looked a tad intimidating. He knew how much Hermione liked Sebastian and Philip. Draco hoped he would make a good impression.

Hermione decided to wear a fitted gray striped sweater dress with tights and boots to match. She was adding a few finishing touches to her makeup when Draco walked in her bedroom and whistled.

"Babe, your ass looks so incredibly delectable in that dress," Draco said.

"Draco, stop! You are embarrassing me," Hermione said softly and indeed she was blushing.

Draco wore a dark green button down shirt and fitted slacks. Hermione admired how he looked like he had stepped off the pages of a men's fashion magazine.

"You aren't too bad yourself Mr. Malfoy," Hermione said coyly.

Draco pulled her to him. "I love you Hermione," he said.

"I love you so much Draco. I am so glad you will be meeting Sebastian and Philip. They mean a lot to me," Hermione said.

"I will do anything for you Hermione," Draco said as he looked into her eyes.

Hermione smiled. "Are you ready to sneak out of here?

"Sure, lead the way Miss Daring and Adventurous," Draco said as he chuckled.

Hermione had managed to get one of the house elves to procure a bottle of wine and a lovely bouquet of fresh yellow roses. She wanted to give Sebastian and Philip a small gift for their generosity. She carried these items and held Draco's hand as they went through the floo network.

Draco and Hermione arrived at their destination and were immediately greeted by Sebastian. He hugged Hermione and shook Draco's hand as Hermione introduced them. They made their way to the dining room. There were two other couples there. One of the couples was husband and wife. Philip worked with Celia and Nathan Anders at the Ministry; they had been friends for years. The other couple was Terrence Tomlinson and his partner Dominic Connors. They operated a very successful men's designer clothing shop. The two men looked like male models. Introductions were made and everyone sat down for dinner. Philip had gone all out. His menu was amazing. He served poached chicken breasts with blackberry cabernet sauce, tarragon-rice stuffed mushrooms, and asparagus and avocado wraps. For dessert, he had whipped up a most decadent dark chocolate cake with white chocolate cream frosting.

Everyone enjoyed the meal and oohed and ahhed. Conversation flowed easily. The older couples were surprised at how mature Draco and Hermione were. It was obvious to them that the young couple was totally in love with each other.

As Hermione was finishing up the chocolate cake, she sighed and said, "This is better than sex!"

Draco smiled and said "I beg to differ love. You have a little bit of cream on your lip. Wait I will get it." With that, Draco took his index finger and gently wiped the cream off of Hermione's lips. Hermione watched as he put his finger in his mouth and sucked it off. He smiled at her seductively. She knew by his look that he had plans for her later that night.

This action did not go unnoticed by Sebastian and Philip. Sebastian raised his eyebrows at Philip and thought to himself, "This kid does not miss a trick!" They enjoyed watching the young couple. It was quite apparent that Draco was smitten with their Hermione.

Hermione and Draco stayed another hour, and then had to get back to Hogwarts. They told everyone goodbye and made plans to meet again soon. It was a fabulous evening and everyone was charmed by the lovely young couple.

Celia and Nathan left a few minutes after. They had two children and wanted to get back home to them. Terrence and Dominic stayed to have a nightcap with Sebastian and Philip.

"I am so happy for Hermione. Draco is so charming and is so tender with her," Philip said.

"She agonized over him long enough! I am so glad they finally did it," Sebastian said.

Terrence rolled his eyes. "Oh Sebastian, you are so bad! They are a lovely young couple. I could tell they are in love. Young love is so wonderful." He sighed.

Dominic listened to their conversation before commenting. "Yes, they are a gorgeous couple, but when I heard Draco was a Malfoy, I could not help having a not so good feeling about his relationship with Hermione."

"Whatever do you mean, Dom?" Terrence asked.

"Well, dear, you know those pureblooded families. I find it peculiar that Draco has not been promised to a pureblooded witch. I know Lucius Malfoy and he is a pretentious self-centered prick. As lovely as Hermione is, I wonder how the rest of the Malfoy family will take Draco dating a muggleborn witch," Dominic replied.

"Shit, that does not sound good for Hermione. She has really fallen hard for Draco. This would devastate her," Sebastian said.

"Look, let's not worry about something we are not sure about. Maybe since the fall of Voldemort some of these pureblooded families may have changed their narrow-minded views," Philip said.

"I understand, but I will keep an eye on this situation. I don't want Hermione to be hurt," Sebastian answered.

The men moved on to another topic of conversation, but Sebastian kept wondering if Hermione was setting herself up for heartbreak. He was going to have to do a little detective work within his salon. He had many witches as clients and they were always up to date on the happenings in the wizarding world.

Draco and Hermione made it back to Hogwarts without getting caught! As they hurried back to their dorm, Draco could not help himself. He gently pushed Hermione against a wall and kissed her passionately. She wove her hands in his hair as he pushed her dress up.

"Draco, we cannot do it here! We better get back before Filch comes," Hermione whispered frantically.

"Shush love, isn't this exciting? I cannot help myself. I have been waiting to do this all night," Draco said excitedly. He muttered a spell under his breath and when Hermione noticed her tights and underwear were on the floor. She felt herself getting wet; she was so turned on by the possibility of getting caught and having Draco's huge cock in her. Draco quickly unzipped his pants and pushed his erect penis against her leg. Hermione felt the precum leak on her thigh. Draco reached into her slit and inserted one finger.

"You bad girl, how wet you are for me. You like that we could get caught, don't you?" Draco asked as he kissed her neck and inserted a second finger.

Hermione gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist. Draco removed his fingers and looked at her as he licked them clean. He crushed her lips with him and entered her with one fluid motion. His thrusts grew more intense and he felt her tighten up. He knew she was close to coming and he was too.

"'Mione, I am about to cum. Are you close baby?" Draco whispered in her ear.

"Oh yeah, Draco, I feel it. Oh Merlin, only you make me feel like this!" Hermione whispered back.

Draco thrust a few more times and he spilled his warm seed into her. Not long after, Hermione shuddered and climaxed. They were breathing hard and held each other for a few moments. All of a sudden, they started to hear a voice. It was Filch!

Hermione grabbed her underwear and tights from the floor. She and Draco ran as fast as they could. They just made it inside their dorm room. Filch cursed to himself. He knew there were students wandering around the halls, but they eluded him!

"Draco, that was cutting it a little too close! Filch almost had us," Hermione said.

"Yeah, but it was great. I couldn't help it 'Mione. You are so gorgeous; I had to have you then and there!" Draco replied.

Hermione shook her head and laughed. Life with Draco was anything but boring!

The couple prepared for bed and soon fell asleep. Before falling asleep, Draco started thinking about Christmas. He wanted to give Hermione something special. He would love to give her a ring, but he did not want to freak her out. Draco loved her so much and for one of the first times in his life, was truly happy.

**Whew, finals are next week and then I will be done with school until January. I plan on Christmas and the Quidditch Tournament taking place in the next chapter! I so appreciated the reviews and alerts! I enjoy hearing from all of you. Thank you again for reading and reviewing, definitely makes me day! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter, if only Draco and Hermione would have been together!**

Sebastian thought about Hermione for the rest of the weekend. He had grown to care for her so much in the last few months. She was truly a rare find in this crazy world. He could only hope that Draco would be strong enough to stand up to his narrow- minded parents. That pureblooded business was so outdated, not to mention there was also the possibility of inbreeding!

He opened his shop up on Monday morning and checked the schedule for the day. Sebastian's eyes lit up when he saw that Morganza Spillman was coming in for a color and perm at 11:00 a.m. She was an older witch and loved to gossip about anyone and anything in the wizarding world. If anyone knew what the Malfoy's were up to, it would be Morganza.

At about 5 minutes to 11:00 a.m., Sebastian heard a pop coming from the back of his salon. That would be Morganza coming through the floo network. He had a vast witch clientele. He walked over and greeted the older woman.

"Morganza, how are you sweetness?" Sebastian gushed.

"Oh, my arthritis is acting up and I have indigestion, but other than that, just fabulous!" Morganza exclaimed.

"Darling, come on and we will get you started. Have a seat and relax. Let me know if I can get you something for that indigestion," Sebastian stated.

"How about a few shots of firewhiskey? Hahahaha!" Morganza replied with a hearty laugh.

"Morganza, you are so bad! Like I am going to let you get shitfaced in my salon!" Sebastian exclaimed.

Morganza laughed more. She had been coming to Sebastian's salon for years, so they were very comfortable with each other. They cursed each other out and laughed at filthy jokes. There was also the endless gossiping!

As Sebastian started to style her hair, he decided to get the ball rolling. "So, what has been happening in your part of the world? I am curious to know if there will be a few pureblooded weddings coming up. Mothers have been booking appointments for themselves and their daughter's months ahead. I'm shocked they want a half-blood like me messing with their hair!"

"Don't put yourself down Seb, those bitches know who the best is! Yeah, there will be a few of those pretentious pureblood weddings taking place this summer. The Parkinson's daughter is marrying the Searson's son. I hear it will be very hoity-toity. A little birdie told me that the Malfoy family plans an even snootier event for when their son marries this summer," Morganza replied.

"Hmm, Malfoy, why does that sound familiar?" Sebastian asked. He knew how to dig for information!

"Surely you have heard of the Malfoys! They were Deatheaters during the war, but supposedly have turned good. Rubbish if you ask me. That Lucius Malfoy is a shithead and his wife is a stuck up spastic. Never did care for them. Their son Draco probably isn't much better coming from those two," Morganza said and laughed. Morganza told it like it was!

"Any idea on who their son is marrying? I wonder if I know the poor witch," Sebastian said and giggled.

"As far as I know, no girl has been chosen yet, but they are looking. I heard that the Malfoy's have put ads in all wizard magazines except The Daily Prophet. Probably no witch in this area will be good enough for them. I think they are hoping to get some sort of royal bloodline. It will be interesting to see who their son winds up marrying. I feel sorry for the witch as well," Morganza replied.

Sebastian's stomach dropped when he heard this bit of news. This did not bode well for Hermione. He wondered what kind of game Draco was playing. Sebastian found it hard to believe Draco was only using Hermione for sex. It was obvious to everyone at his dinner party that Draco was in love with Hermione. Either that or the kid was a damn good actor. Sebastian decided to play it by ear. Maybe Draco had a big set of balls on him and would tell his parents to go to hell.

At Hogwarts, the weeks before Christmas seemed to be flying by. Almost all of the students were studying for mid-term exams and stressing! Hermione and Draco did well on their exams. They decided to go to Hogsmeade the weekend before Christmas to do last minute holiday shopping. Hermione had already purchased a Burberry scarf and a messenger bag with the Slytherin house crest embroidered on it for Draco. She was going to Hogsmeade to spend time with Draco. Hermione planned on giving her gift to Draco the night before they left to visit their families for Christmas break. She was looking forward to seeing her parents but she was going to miss him so much. They promised to owl each other frequently.

As they made their way into Hogsmeade, Draco told Hermione that he had to pick up something for his mother in one of the shops. He said that he would meet her in the bookstore. Draco had ordered a pair of diamond earrings for Hermione and an alligator charm to fit on her necklace. He hoped she liked what he chosen. He paid for the items, had them giftwrapped, and placed the small boxes in a pocket on the inside of his coat. He smiled when he walked in the bookstore and saw Hermione engrossed in some muggle novel. His sweet and sexy little bookworm, he thought happily.

Before the students from Hogwarts went home for the holidays, there was a huge feast in the Great Hall. The tables were laden with food of all sorts. The desserts were to die for. The first-year students were quite shocked at the grand display, but quickly got over it and dug in. Everyone was in high spirits and excited for the holiday break. Hermione and Draco sat at their respective tables and enjoyed the dinner with their Houses. The couple had their own celebration planned for later that evening.

Hermione finished her meal, hugged most of the students, and wished them a happy holiday. She had exchanged gifts with Ginny and Harry earlier. Ginny loved her IPod and the music loaded on it. She loved muggle music. Harry thanked her and kissed her on the cheek when he received Hermione's gift, a sweater from his favorite football team, Manchester United. Ginny gave Hermione a nice set of makeup brushes that she had been wanting. Harry took the easy way out and gave her a gift certificate to her favorite bookstore. Hermione truly loved her gifts and her friends.

The feast ended and everyone returned to their dorms. Hermione and Draco made sure everything was in order with the different houses, but the prefects had it under control. They walked back to their dorm with their arms around each other, stopping every few feet so Draco could kiss her.

"Draco, we will never make it back if you keep on doing that!" Hermione said.

"I can't help it love. I will not see you for two weeks, I want to make every moment count," Draco replied.

They finally made it to their dorm room. Hermione decided that they could exchange gifts in the common room. It was quite lovely with a tree that almost touched the ceiling. The tree was enchanted to glow with red, silver, and green lights. She grabbed Draco's gifts and handed them to him.

"I hope you like your gifts," Hermione said.

"'Mione, you did not have to get me anything, but thank you. I know I will love it," Draco replied as he gave her a quick kiss and started to open the gifts. He could not believe Hermione had bought him a Burberry scarf; he had always admired them. Draco immediately wrapped it around his neck.

"How do I look love?" Draco asked.

"Like you just stepped off the pages of GQ," Hermione said and chuckled.

Draco kissed her again and opened the box containing the messenger bag. His eyes lit up when he saw the Slytherin crest on it.

"This is great, I have been meaning to replace my old bag. Thank you for the awesome gifts. This has been the best Christmas ever 'Mione," Draco said.

"You are so welcome, I am so happy you love your gifts. I was not sure what to get," Hermione answered.

"You did not have to get me anything. I am so happy that we are together, no gift in the world could top that," Draco said and kissed her. They smiled at each other and Draco reached around him and handed her two small boxes.

"Oh Draco, what is this?" Hermione asked softly.

"Open it and find out love," Draco said.

Hermione opened the first box and immediately loved the alligator charm. It was gold like the tooth on her necklace, but had emeralds for eyes. She wrapped her arms around Draco.

"I love it, this is going to look so good on my necklace. Wow, thank you!" Hermione said. Draco smiled and looked at her lovingly as she opened the next gift. She gasped when she saw the diamond earrings. The earrings were from Tiffany & Co. and were heart-shaped with diamonds in a platinum setting.

"Draco, they're gorgeous. You spent way too much on me!" Hermione said.

"Nonsense, let's see how they look on those gorgeous ears," Draco replied.

Hermione removed the small gold hoops she usually wore and replaced them with the diamond earrings. She ran to the bathroom so she could see how they looked. Draco followed her. He enjoyed how excited she was for her gifts. He had made the right choice.

"Oh they are so beautiful! Wait until my mum sees them. Draco, thank you so much," Hermione said excitedly as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Draco turned her to him and kissed her deeply.

"Hermione, I want nothing more than to make you happy. You are everything to me. I love you so much," Draco whispered.

"Draco, I only want to make you happy too. I am going to miss you so much these next two weeks. I cannot imagine being without you. I love you," Hermione whispered back as tears formed.

"Love, don't cry. Those two weeks will go by so quickly and we will be back in school before you know it," Draco replied.

"I can't help crying Draco. I am so overcome with emotion right now. I still cannot believe you and I are together. It is so incredible to be with you," Hermione said.

Draco pulled her into his arms and fervently kissed her, as if he was afraid she would disappear. He led her to his bedroom and they fell on his bed; never breaking their kiss. Something was different about their lovemaking that night. They had reached a new level. Draco could totally see himself spending the rest of his life with Hermione. His lips moved down to her neck and he started to unbutton her blouse. Hermione started to undo his button down shirt and kissed his bare chest. They quickly rid themselves of their other clothing. Draco loved the feel of her bare skin on his; Hermione loved it too. He was taken aback when Hermione pushed him on his back so he was pinned underneath her. She smiled and looked into his eyes as she kissed him down his chest and made her way to his cock. Draco gasped as she took him into her mouth and licked the head. He let her do this for a few minutes, then he pulled Hermione up and pushed her back against the bed. He kissed her and chuckled as she grabbed his cock and tried to push it inside of her. Draco teased her for only a few moments and entered her. He thrust into her a few minutes and could not help himself, he climaxed. Hermione had him so turned on.

"I am sorry love. I could not stop, you are just so amazing!" Draco said panting.

"Glad you enjoyed that Mr. Malfoy. Don't fret, there's more of that coming your way," Hermione purred.

They made love two more times that night and only slept for a few hours. Luckily, they had packed the day before for their journey home. Morning came way too soon for the young lovers. Draco and Hermione shared a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with Blaise and Pansy. Hermione could not get over how nice Pansy had turned out to be. The train ride was very pleasant.

The train arrived at Platform 9 ¾ and the group said their goodbyes. Hermione immediately spotted her parents and ran up to them. Draco watched her sadly and walked over to his father's assistant Doyle, who had come to pick him up. Lucius and Narcissa were much too busy to meet him. As Draco walked to meet Doyle, Pansy caught up to him.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Pansy asked.

"What do you mean?" Draco replied.

"Why are you stringing Hermione Granger along? You know nothing can become of it. Your parents will never accept her," Pansy said.

"What's it to you Pansy, I thought you hated Hermione. Look, I have it under control. I am not stringing Hermione along Pansy, I love her," Draco said.

"Draco, I am only saying this as a friend. You better end it now. I saw the way you look at each other. You will not be able to go against your parents' wishes," Pansy replied.

"Pansy, I simply love her. I cannot imagine being with anyone else. My parents are going to have to accept her or I will break away from them," Draco said.

"Merlin help you Draco. I wish you luck. I am all for love, but something tells me your parents will not see it that way," Pansy answered.

"I know you mean well Pansy, but I can handle it. Have a good holiday and I will see you in two weeks," Draco said.

Pansy smiled and hugged him. As she walked to meet her father, she had a sinking feeling. This was not going to end well for Draco and Hermione.

Natalie and Lenny had completed their finals and were home for the break before they started school again in January. Natalie was bored, so she started to read a copy of the American Wizard Weekly. She was rolling her eyes at a photo of one of her former classmates. The girl was engaged to be married and Natalie always thought she was an asshole. Maybe she was marrying another asshole and they would make little asshole children. As Natalie made fun of the girl, an ad towards the bottom of the page caught her eye:

**ATTENTION SINGLE PUREBLOODED WITCHES**

**The Malfoy family of Wiltshire, England is seeking a suitable mate for Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy family fortune. Age limit: 17-20 years old. Any eligible candidate must prove her bloodline and competency at magic. Also, reproductive system must be intact and all potential candidates will be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. For more information please contact ****.**

Natalie could not believe what she had just read. The Malfoys sounded like a truly disgusting lot, that ad was awful! This had to be the same Draco Hermione was in love with. Shit, it had never occurred to her that the Malfoys still hung on to those outdated values of marrying only purebloods. Did Hermione know about this? Natalie had to think about this; this was some dilemma. Should she tell Hermione or let her find out on her own?

Draco arrived at Malfoy Manor and was immediately greeted by his mother. She had really missed her son. She wanted to meet him at the station but Lucius insisted that Draco was a grown man and did not need his mother meeting him. Narcissa hugged Draco and kissed his cheek.

"Hello Draco, I am so glad you are home," Narcissa said.

"Hello Mum, I am glad to be back. Have you been well?" Draco asked.

"Oh yes, just been busy, busy. You know your father, always something going on. I have been preparing for the Christmas ball tomorrow night. There are going to be quite a few eligible girls there. Draco, you are going to have to make a decision soon," Narcissa said.

"Mother, about that. Can't this wait until I finish school? I can't see how I am supposed to find a wife over Christmas break. We need to discuss this more. Why can't I find my own wife?" Draco asked.

"Draco, you know how your father feels about this. You have always known that you will marry into a pureblooded family. You never had a problem with it before, why the change of heart?" Narcissa asked.

Draco paused for a moment. "What if I told you that I have met someone."

"Okay, is she from Slytherin? I am sure I know the family, it should be no problem to arrange this," Narcissa replied.

"What if she isn't from Slytherin and is not from a pureblooded family?" Draco asked tentatively.

"Draco, what have you done? Oh Merlin, who is she? You know your father will not tolerate this," Narcissa said almost as if she was afraid.

"I am in love with Hermione Granger. I plan on proposing to her before school ends," Draco answered.

"Damn it Draco, why? This cannot happen, how could you fall in love with her?" Narcissa asked.

"Mother, as if we can choose who we love? This arranged marriage thing is so outdated! I do not want any part of it. I love Hermione," Draco said.

Narcissa felt terrible for her son, but there was no way she was going to be able to persuade Lucius to accept a muggleborn witch as a daughter-in-law. She pulled Draco into her arms and looked at his face. It broke her heart to see he had tears in his eyes.

"My sweet boy, you really are in love. I have no idea how we are going to get around this," Narcissa whispered. She let go of Draco and looked at him.

"Just go along with the ball and be nice Draco. You do not have to make a decision now. I will see if I can hold your father off," Narcissa said.

"Thanks mom, I know you do not have much of a say in this mess," Draco said.

Lucius walked in at that moment and surveyed the scene between his wife and son.

"What's this? Narcissa you really must stop babying him! Draco is a man!" Lucius bellowed.

Draco cringed when he heard his father's voice. "Father, it is good to see you. Have you been well?"

"I have been very well thank you. You and I need to go over the portfolios I have been receiving. They have been pouring in, I am pleased we will find a most suitable witch for you Draco," Lucius said.

"Fine Father. I will get settled in and meet you in your study," Draco replied.

"Great! Hurry it up, we have plenty of witches to sift through!" Lucius answered happily.

Draco trudged up the stairs. How was he going to explain to his father he was in love with Hermione? Draco was still afraid of Lucius. It was nothing for Lucius to take it out on Narcissa when he was angry with Draco. He decided to take his mother's advice and play along with his father. Anything to keep the peace.

Hermione settled in at home. She had really missed her parents and home. Her mother cooked her favorite foods and she enjoyed an evening at home with her parents. Hermione felt like the weeks had been flying by since she was with Draco. Sometimes it was good to slow down and reflect. She was going to miss him, but she looked forward to spending time with her parents and friends, especially Sebastian and Philip.

Christmas was quiet at the Granger household. Hermione and her mother surprised her father with an IPad. He was thrilled! Her mother was very pleased with the diamond pendant Hermione and her father had picked out. Mrs. Granger handed Hermione a large rectangular box. When she unwrapped the gift, she found a pair of UGG boots she had been wanting. She decided to try them on right away. When she lifted the first boot, an envelope was underneath it. She looked at her parents questioningly. They looked at her with expectant looks.

"Go on dear, open it up. You did not think you were just getting boots, did you?" Mr. Granger asked as he chuckled.

Hermione smiled and opened up the envelope. There was a document inside and when Hermione unfolded it, it looked like a bank statement. She still wasn't sure what this was about. Mrs. Granger sat beside her and pointed to an amount on the statement. It showed £350,545.00 pounds.

"That is for you, Hermione. Your father and I have been saving since you were born. It is for you to use as you wish, but we hope it will go towards college and living expenses. We do not want you to struggle."

Hermione was so overcome with emotion and disbelief. "Mum, Dad, this is wow, I can't believe this! This is too much, I can't accept this. I planned to work while I was in school. Please, keep this money for you!"

Her parents only smiled. "It is all yours dear. Your father and I wanted to give you a good start. You are such a blessing to us and have always been such a good girl. You deserve it," Mrs. Granger stated.

Hermione could not believe this. She could not help having an annoying voice in her head telling her that her parents would not think she was so "good" if they knew what she was doing with Draco. Hermione caught herself blushing a little, but pushed it out of her mind for the moment.

Sebastian and Philip's parents came over to their house to celebrate Christmas. Sebastian only had his mother and no siblings. His father had left his mum when Sebastian was a baby, so he had no recollection of him. His mother had burned all of the photographs of his father and you could not mention his name in front of her. Which was fine with Sebastian; he had no desire to find out who his father was. His mother struggled to raise him alone and he had the utmost admiration and love for her. Sebastian's mother was proud of him and his salon. Philip's parents were pureblood wizards, but had the same attitude as the Weasleys. They did not believe that someone should be judged because of their bloodline. They also had no qualms about Philip being gay. He was their only child and they loved him no matter what. They also adored Sebastian and thought of him as one of their own. They shared a wonderful holiday dinner prepared by Philip and exchanged gifts. It was a good day.

Christmas day was crazy in Louisiana at the Dupre household. Natalie and Lenny's father always wore the ugliest Christmas sweater on that day, it was a tradition. Natalie found it online. It was a green long sleeve sweater, with a round neckline. It was adorned with ornaments in several shapes hanging from gold chords secured with bows along the neckline and snowflakes on the hem. Earl Dupre wore it proudly and had his picture taken with the horde of relatives spending the day with them. It was a day filled with good food and booze!

The Weasley household was probably as chaotic as the Dupre's. The whole family was there, along with Harry. Mrs. Weasley had outdone herself with cooking her family's favorite main dishes and desserts. The dinner table was by no means a quiet affair; there were many conversations going on at once. Mr. Weasley asked his son Percy what his boss had planned for the holidays. He was curious for he had heard rumors of a grandiose Christmas ball being held at Malfoy Manor. Supposedly all higher-up Ministry officials were invited. Mr. Weasley wondered what Lucius Malfoy was up to.

"Mr. Bingley is attending the ball at the Malfoy's tonight. Everyone has been talking about it. I think they are searching for a bride for Draco. I pity the poor witch who gets stuck with that family," Percy said.

"Ah, that is what it is all about. It is beyond me how some of those pureblood families still hang on to those antiquated values! There are truly excellent muggle and half-blood witches and wizards out there," Mr. Weasley exclaimed.

"I agree Dad, but we are talking about Lucius Malfoy and company. I will be shocked if they will be able to find a witch to meet their standards," Percy answered.

This conversation caught the attention of Harry and Ginny. Ron never noticed; he was in a heated dispute with Bill over whether the Chudley Cannons would take the championship.

"Harry, I know 'Mione had no idea about this! What kind of game is Draco playing? I cannot believe he is using her like that!" Ginny said heatedly.

"Gin, before you go off, we need to find out the facts. I wonder what is up with Malfoy too. To be honest, he and 'Mione look happy together. Maybe this is something his parents just sprung on him," Harry replied.

"No, Harry. Arranged marriages between purebloods have been going on for centuries. I mistakenly assumed that maybe the Malfoys had changed their beliefs since the war, but I was wrong. Draco had to have known about it. Why would he do that to Hermione?" Ginny said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"I don't know Gin. Bear in mind, this is Malfoy. Do you really think he changed all that much? Let's wait and see what happens. He needs to come clean to Hermione before they take their relationship too far," Harry said quietly.

"Oh Harry, from what Hermione has been telling me, she is in love with him. I cannot believe he is going to break her heart. Damn him!" Ginny said angrily as tears pooled in her eyes.

Harry led Ginny away from the table before anyone noticed her tears. He did not want to get into a big discussion with the rest of the Weasleys about Hermione and Malfoy's relationship. Was Draco going to tell Hermione or was she going to find out from gossip mongers? What a mess!

That evening the entire Malfoy mansion was lit up with white twinkling lights. Just about all of the guests had arrived and the Christmas ball was in full swing. Draco was miserable. He had been introduced to so many different witches; their faces were now a blur to him. He was the perfect gentleman; he danced with the different girls and made polite conversation. Draco hoped to Merlin his mother would help him get out of this. He decided that he needed a break and found a seat in a dark corner. He thought he was alone and was startled when a voice broke into his thoughts.

"You look about as thrilled to be here as I am." A feminine, slightly accented voice said drily.

Draco turned around and was face to face with a stunning blond beauty with icy blue eyes.

"You must be able to read my mind. Have we met? I'm Draco Malfoy and you are?" Draco asked.

The girl extended her hand. "Flori Minieux. We met earlier, but there are so many bitches in heat here, I must have gotten lost in the shuffle," Flori replied as she laughed.

"Nice to meet you Flori. So I guess you are out of the running to be my wife?" Draco asked as he chuckled and shook her hand.

"Look I think this whole affair is nuts! How can you marry someone you don't know? My parents forced me to come here. I wish I was home in Paris," Flori said.

"I understand Flori. I feel the same way. I have no idea what I am going to do," Draco said sadly.

Flori sensed his sadness and patted his arm. "Hey, don't be so down, it will all work out."

Draco was glad to find someone who thought this whole arranged marriage thing was a farce. He ended up talking to Flori the rest of the evening. Beneath that cool exterior, she was really funny and dry-witted. He enjoyed talking to her. She had graduated from Beauxbatons the year before and her parents were pressuring her to get married. Flori's English was almost perfect. Her situation was similar to Draco's. She was in love with an accountant named Jean-Luc who was a non-magical muggle. As they conversed, the wheels were spinning in Draco's mind. Since he and Flori loved other people, it would be convenient for them to get married. He would not care if Flori kept on seeing Jean-Luc as long as he could keep seeing Hermione. Maybe he figured a way out of this after all. The only catch was how he was going to explain this to Hermione. Hermione had to understand this was the only way they could continue seeing each other.

"Flori, please do not think I am way out of line, but what if I married you," Draco said.

"Draco, that is so fucking funny. How is that going to solve anything?" Flori asked as she chuckled.

"What if I said you could still have Jean-Luc in your life? The only catch is that we would have to stay married for five years. That is what the contract states. We would have to live together, but married in name only. We could get around the "producing of an heir" thing. You live your life, I live mine. It could work," Draco said and looked at Flori expectantly.

"I think you are crazier than a fox, but you might be on to something. When you explain it like this, I think everyone will be happy. Your parents, mine, Jean-Luc, and your Hermione," Flori answered with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Okay, Flori Minieux, will you marry me?" Draco asked laughingly.

"Why don't we "sleep on it" and talk again later? This is so out there, I need to think," Flori said.

"Think about it. I will understand if you think this is too crazy to go through," Draco replied.

Flori patted his hand. "I will let you know in a few days. My family and I are returning to France tonight. Let me speak to Jean-Luc. I have no idea how he will react to this. I have not mentioned any of this to him. He thinks we are visiting friends."

Draco noticed his mother and father looking around the room. He grimaced and stood up. "I guess that is my cue to hit the dance floor again. Flori, it was a pleasure. Have a safe trip home and I guess I will talk to you in a few days. Good luck with Jean-Luc."

"Thank you, I will go find my parents. Enjoy the rest of your evening!" Flori said as she pecked him on the cheek.

The moment Flori kissed his cheek, Draco thought about Hermione. Flori was one of the most beautiful witches he had ever laid eyes on, but he felt absolutely nothing romantic towards her. He pondered if they could convince everyone that they were in love and happily married. It could work, Draco thought. It had to work; this was the only solution he could come up with to keep Hermione in his life. He wondered what she was doing at the moment.

"Woooo-hoooooooooooooo! Now that is how you drink a shot!" Sebastian shouted over the loud music at the muggle nightclub.

Hermione had gone over to Sebastian and Philip's home to exchange gifts and have dinner. Next thing she knew, Sebastian decided he wanted to go out to a new muggle nightclub in downtown London. She and Philip looked at each other and shrugged. Once Sebastian decided to do something there was no stopping him! So, Hermione and Sebastian were once again doing shots while Philip sipped his wine spritzer. One of Sebastian's clients had told him about "Gorilla Fart" shots, so he just had to try it.

Hermione wolfed down the mixture of rum and bourbon. The first shot was horrible; but then they started to go down smoothly by the fourth or fifth one. Clubbing with Sebastian and Philip was anything but dull.

Sebastian grabbed her hand and started to pull her to the dance floor. Hermione looked at Philip; she did not like leaving him alone. He smiled and waved. Philip actually liked sitting at the bar and taking in the different sights. He knew how much Sebastian loved to dance and was glad that he had Hermione as a partner.

Hermione had her eyes closed as she swayed to the pulsing rhythm of the music. Sebastian moved along with her and found himself glaring at guys trying to push him out of the way to dance with Hermione. He laughed to himself because he knew those brutes had no idea he was gay! Hermione looked really cute. He had piled her hair up and let a few tendrils fall to frame her face. She allowed him to do her makeup and he was so psyched because she allowed him to give her a "smoky-eyed" sultry look. She was wearing a fitted leopard print jacket over a tight camisole and brown leather pants. The outfit was her Christmas gift from Sebastian and Philip, along with a pair of Christian Louboutin leopard print heels.

"Their girl was looking fierce. Draco Malfoy better watch himself," Sebastian thought to himself as he and Hermione continued to dance. He and Philip had talked it over and decided it was not their place to tell Hermione about the pureblood marriage debacle. Draco needed to step up and let Hermione know what was going on. Sebastian just did not want to see his friend get hurt. Whatever happened, he and Philip would be there for her.

They ended up leaving the club at about 1:00 a.m. and Philip drove them back to the house. Hermione's parents knew she was with Sebastian and were not worried. They stayed up for a while and sat around in their pajamas, discussing everything that had been going on in their lives. Sebastian and Philip noticed how her eyes lit up when she spoke about Draco, talking about how much she missed him and could not wait to see him. They could only hope that if Draco truly cared about Hermione, he would stand up to his parents.

Hermione returned home the next morning. Her parents were out running errands. She went up to her room and noticed a black owl at her bedroom window. She let it in and retrieved the letter that was attached to it. Hermione gave the bird a few treats and water before it set off. She opened the letter and was pleasantly surprised at the content:

_Love,_

_It is killing me not seeing your gorgeous face every morning! I cannot wait until we are back in school, I want to see you. Do you think we could go out for New Year's Eve? I would love to ring in the New Year with you. Please say yes…._

_Yours,_

_D._

Hermione smiled and sighed. She missed Draco so much. She quickly wrote a reply to him and sent her owl to Malfoy Manor.

_Draco,_

_I was so happy to hear from you! Of course we can ring the New Year in together, I cannot think of anyone else I would rather be with! I miss seeing you every day. I will be counting down the days!_

_All my love,_

_Hermione_

Draco heard Hermione's owl pecking at his bedroom window. He removed the letter and fed the bird a few treats. As he read Hermione's reply, he had the biggest grin. Draco was so looking forward to spending time with her. It would work out well for Draco's parents were attending a New Year's party in Bulgaria and would probably stay overnight.

The days leading up to New Year's Eve went by way too slowly for Draco and Hermione. Draco was so anxious and excited to see Hermione, but was apprehensive about telling her about his plans to take a pureblooded bride. He was still waiting to hear from Flori; he figured she must be having second thoughts. Draco cast that thought aside and only thought about his reunion with Hermione.

New Year's Eve day finally arrived. Draco was relieved to see that Lucius and Narcissa had already left for Bulgaria. He decided to take a chance and apparated to Hermione's bedroom. He made it and landed hard against an armoire in her bedroom. He quickly gathered his bearings and steadied himself. Thank Merlin; he had not made too much noise! The last thing he wanted was to have Hermione's parents coming in and finding Draco Malfoy in their daughter's bedroom.

Hermione had gone to the bathroom and was shocked when she walked back into her bedroom.

"Draco! I cannot believe you are here!" Hermione gasped as she ran to him and embraced him.

Draco hugged her back tightly and took her in. He had missed everything about her. The softness of her hair, her scent, her soft skin, it went on and on. Draco released her and cupped her face into his hands. He kissed her softly and rested his forehead on hers.

"I can stay like this with you forever. I never want to be away from you this long again," Draco whispered.

"I missed you so much. Did you have a good holiday with your family?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it was quiet. How about you?" Draco asked. He knew he was going to have to tell her about what was happening, but he did not feel that it was the right time. Draco wanted to enjoy his time with her; there was enough drama in his life at the moment.

They sat on Hermione's bed as she told him about her parents' gift to her and the crazy night she had with Sebastian and Philip. They decided to spend the day in London. Hermione had not mentioned that she was dating anyone to her parents. They knew how cruel Draco had been to their daughter in the past. Hermione decided that she would tell them about Draco before she left for Hogwart's. They would have to understand and trust her decision; she was totally in love with him.

Hermione dressed warmly in a thick sweater and jeans with her new Uggs boots. Draco was sorry to see her lovely body hidden in the warm clothes. He could not wait to ravish her later. Hermione's parents had already left for the day. They were boxing up old files at their office, so they would be gone for most of the day. Later, her parents were attending a New Year's party at a colleague's home, so they would be gone that evening.

Draco and Hermione took in the sights of London. Draco had never experienced London in this way. Being with Hermione was so refreshing, she made everything so exciting.

"Oh look, a photo booth! Let's get our pictures taken!" Hermione exclaimed.

Draco was a little apprehensive getting into the small booth, but Hermione did not seem to think anything of it. They squeezed in and Hermione sat on his lap. She inserted muggle money into a slot and a screen popped up. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. He jumped when there was a flash of light.

Hermione felt him jump. "Relax, it is the camera. Now smile!"

When their session ended, they stepped out and waited for the pictures. Draco was fascinated that the photos did not move. The film came out in a strip of 4 photos. Hermione tore it in half and gave Draco one-half. He chuckled when he looked at the goofy faces Hermione had made.

"Now we will always have a reminder of this day!" Hermione said happily.

"I will never forget this day, I need no photos to remind me," Draco said as he embraced her.

They had lunch at a small café and spent the afternoon at the Sea Life Aquarium. Hermione could not believe that Draco's parents had never taken him there. Then again, she could. It would be hard to imagine Lucius Malfoy strutting around a muggle aquarium. They were like little kids going from exhibit to exhibit. Draco had never known anyone like Hermione. She made him feel so alive.

It was getting late, so they returned to Hermione's house. The house was empty, so they went up to her room. Hermione turned on music from her IPod and grabbed Draco for an impromptu dance. He wrapped her in his arms and they moved slowly.

"Mmm, I can stay like this forever," Hermione murmured.

"How about we stay here and never leave," Draco whispered.

"That sounds great, but I have other plans for you Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied.

"Sounds intriguing," Draco started to say but was cut off by Hermione kissing him deeply. He quickly responded and kissed her back. He liked it when she started to undo his clothes. It turned him on that she was being so aggressive. She pushed him down on the bed and started to remove her clothes. He chuckled as she hopped around trying to kick her boots off. When they finally came off and she took off her jeans, she pounced on top of him. Draco groaned when he saw she was clad in a red push-up bra and thong. She was so damn sexy. Hermione ran her hands on his abs and muscled arms. He made her think of a Greek god, her very own Adonis in her bedroom. Hermione started to kiss him again and squealed when he flipped her over so he was on top. Draco smirked at her and started to kiss her neck. As soon as he made contact with the charm on her necklace, he felt the jolt again.

"You are a naughty girl, having your way with me in your bedroom," Draco murmured as he nibbled her ear.

"I wanted to break in my bed, you are the first guy who has ever been in here," Hermione said and chuckled.

"You mean to tell me that even the Weasel has never been here?" Draco asked.

"Nope, he was never interested," Hermione replied.

"Wow, Weasel is even dumber than I thought," Draco said and laughed.

"Eww, let's quit talking about him. I want to talk about something else," Hermione said as she sucked on his neck.

"I don't want to talk at all when you do that!" Draco growled as he began stripping off her undies and his boxers. He fondled her breasts and sucked on them as Hermione sighed with pleasure. It had been way too long since Draco touched her. He pulled up and was face to face with her as he entered her. Hermione caught her breath and wrapped her legs around him. She moved with every thrust he made. They were in perfect symmetry. Hermione felt the heat building up and the warmth spreading all the way down to her toes, as Draco once again brought her to another mind-blowing orgasm. Draco could not hold off any longer and spilled his hot seed into her. He collapsed against her and stayed inside of her. Hermione reached up and kissed him, pushing his hair out of his forehead.

They brought in the New Year by making love a few more times that night. Draco hated leaving but he knew he had to get back to Malfoy Manor before his parents. Hermione sat up in her bed and watched him apparate away. She enjoyed their time together, but could not help feeling overwhelmingly sad. Almost as if the thought of she and Draco being together was too good to be true. She pushed the thought aside. School would be starting soon and they would be together again. Hermione got out of bed and decided to shower. When she was done, she put on a pair of comfortable pajamas and climbed back into bed. She smiled when she thought about how she and Draco did everything but sleep. Her eyes grew heavy as she happily breathed in his scent that still lingered on the bed linens.

Draco made it back to Malfoy Manor without anyone noticing. The time he spent with Hermione was one of the happiest times of his life, but he had a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. How was he going to deal with what his parents wanted him to do and still keep Hermione in his life? He was deep in thought when he noticed an unfamiliar owl at this bedroom window. He let it in and retrieved the message. Draco gave the owl a few treats and read the note.

_Draco,_

_After agonizing over this with Jean-Luc, we decided it was the only way we could be together. I accept your proposal if the offer still stands._

_Take care,_

_Flori Minieux_

Flori accepted his proposal. Draco took a deep breath, this was really happening. He decided to go downstairs and see if his parents were up. He would let them know Flori Minieux was to become his wife.

**I know I said I would include the Quidditch Tournament in this chapter, but as I was writing, I felt the event deserved a chapter by itself! Sorry it took so long, but I promise to get the next one up sooner! Finals are over so I have the rest of the month and part of January to write, write, write! Thank you again for the lovely reviews and alerts, I am so grateful!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter! Thank you, Ms. J.K. Rowling for sharing her wonderful characters with us!**

Draco made his way downstairs to the master suite of his parents. He knocked on the door.

"Enter," Lucius drawled.

Draco walked in and stood at the foot of Lucius and Narcissa's enormous bed. He took a deep breath and proceeded to tell them his decision.

"Mother, father, I have chosen a bride. I have decided to marry Flori Minieux," Draco said as he looked at his parents expectantly.

Lucius nodded. "Excellent choice! The Minieux family has extensive vineyards in the South of France and they own three accounting firms in Paris. Congratulations son."

Narcissa rose from the bed and went to Draco. "Darling, I am so happy for you. Flori is a lovely girl. I know you will be very happy. I will have to contact her to start wedding preparations! This is exciting!"

Draco only stared at his mother and stood with his arms at his sides while she embraced him. She knew he was in love with Hermione, but she was probably relieved that there would be no confrontation with Lucius. As far as his father was concerned, it was a business deal. He walked back to his bedroom and stayed there for most of the day. He sat in a chair and looked out of the window. What had he done? He needed to tell Hermione before she read about it or heard it from someone else.

The holiday was over and it was time to return to Hogwarts. Hermione could not wait to get back to Draco. She was also looking forward to the Quidditch tournament. Natalie, Lenny, and their parents were going to be there. Philip and Sebastian planned on attending too. This was going to be a huge affair for Hogwarts. There were going to be many high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Magic.

As Hermione and her parents were leaving to go to Kings Cross station, her mother ran back into the house, saying that she had forgotten something. When she got back into their vehicle, she handed Hermione a thin envelope. It was from LSU.

"I cannot believe I almost forgot to give this to you. It arrived in the post today," Mrs. Granger said.

Hermione smiled and looked at her parents. She ripped it open and started reading the contents.

"Well, were you accepted?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Yes, I was accepted! Nat is going to be so excited," Hermione exclaimed.

Her parents congratulated her as they drove to the station. They discussed the other colleges Hermione had applied to, especially the ones that were in their home country. Her parents were happy that she was accepted at LSU, but it saddened them that she would be so far from home if she decided to go there.

Hermione was deep in thought when they arrived at their destination. When she first applied to LSU, there was not anything or anyone holding her back. Draco changed all of that. She was going to be doing plenty of soul-searching before she made a final decision.

Her parents walked with her to the platform. They embraced their daughter and watched her leave. It was only yesterday that their little girl was only eleven years old and leaving home for the first time. Now she was a beautiful young woman who was soon going to be leaving home to live her own life.

Hermione stepped onto the Hogwarts Express and greeted the other students. She was listening to her IPod and laughing to herself. Apparently Natalie had gotten a hold of it and loaded different genres of music. Hermione was bobbing her head as she listened to "P.Y.T." by Michael Jackson. She made her way to the Head compartment and smiled when she saw Draco was already there.

He smiled when he saw her and pulled her into the car. Hermione laughed as she fell onto his lap. She removed her earplugs and put her arms around Draco's neck.

"I take it you missed me?" Hermione asked in a playful manner.

"Yes, I did. I enjoyed spending the first day of the new year with you," Draco said as he kissed her neck and put his hand up her sweater.

"Draco, stop! Anyone can walk in here," Hermione said as she laughed and jumped off of his lap.

"I can't help myself. Come on love, don't sit so far away. I promise I will be good," Draco said and smiled.

Draco kept his promise and it was good he did, for they were joined by Blaise and Pansy. Hermione actually enjoyed talking to Pansy and Blaise. It was sad that they had wasted so much time bickering over the years because of misguided beliefs. The train soon arrived at Hogwarts. Draco and Hermione made sure the students were accounted for, so that kept them busy. Hermione was tending to a first-year student who was crying, so she told Draco to go ahead of her and she would catch up with him at the Great Hall.

Draco climbed into a carriage with Blaise and Pansy. Pansy gave him a wry smile and said, "I hear congratulations are in order,"

"Don't start with that shit Pansy. I guess my mother is telling everyone. It hasn't been officially announced," Draco replied.

"Draco, when are you going to tell Hermione? This is beyond fucked up. You cannot keep leading her on," Pansy said.

"I plan on telling her, I am not sure how. You are right, it is totally fucked up. I let this go for too long. Please do not tell Hermione anything, I need to tell her myself," Draco pleaded.

"Don't worry; I do not want to be the bearer of bad news. I told you this was going to happen. I would not want to be in your shoes," Pansy answered.

Draco rubbed his temples. Why did his father have to ruin everything? Why couldn't he have stood up to him?

Blaise felt sorry for his friend. "It will work out Dray. You will figure out a way to tell Hermione."

Draco nodded and smiled faintly. He stared out of the window and thought about the mess he was in.

The month of January flew by as Hogwarts prepared for the Quidditch tournament. Hermione and Draco were amazed at how much work went into preparing the event. Draco was dismayed for every time he built up the courage to finally tell Hermione, she was off with Professor McGonagall to work on something else. By the last week of January, everything was in place for the tournament. Professor McGonagall was proud of the combined efficiency and intelligence of her Head Boy and Head Girl. There was so much exhilaration surrounding Hogwarts as the teams started to arrive. Some teams were staying at Hogwarts, while others were staying in Hogsmeade. Hermione knew that Natalie and her family were staying in Hogsmeade.

Hermione plopped down next to Draco onto the couch in the common room. She was so relieved and happy that everything was in place. It was nice to be able to actually sit and not have to worry about rushing off to take care of something else. It was very cozy in the common room. Draco had started a fire in the fireplace. Hermione liked the sound of the crackling logs and the warmth the fire emitted.

"I had no idea so much work went into this! I feel like it has been forever since we were just able to sit and chill," Hermione said.

"I could not believe it either. It is nice to be able to sit back and relax, I missed you," Draco replied.

Hermione smiled and snuggled up next to him. "I missed you too."

They sat together comfortably and stared into the fire. Hermione rested her head on Draco's chest. Draco stroked her hair and began to speak.

"Hermione, do you love me?" Draco asked.

Hermione sat up and looked up at him. "Of course I love you, why would you ask that?"

"Do you trust me?" Draco asked.

"Yes I do. Draco, is there something you want to tell me?" Hermione asked and was a little apprehensive.

"I only want to let you know that no matter what happens I will always love you," Draco said.

"Why are you telling me this? Draco, please do not keep anything from me. I noticed you have been sort of distant since we started school again. What is it?" Hermione asked while she looked into his eyes.

Draco stared into those huge chocolate eyes and knew he could not bring himself to tell her. It was selfish of him and so wrong, but he wanted to enjoy what may be his last time to be happy.

"I am being a melancholy fool love. I guess I am thinking about when school ends and I wonder what will happen to us," Draco replied, feeling like a coward. It made him feel like shit when Hermione smiled at him. She loved and trusted him so much.

"Draco, we still have four months of school left! Let's not think about that now. How about we take it one day at a time?" Hermione said and kissed him.

"I guess you're right," Draco answered and kissed her back.

"You know I am!" Hermione teased and rested her head on his chest again.

Draco wished he could stay like this with Hermione forever. Hermione fell asleep and Draco brought her to her bed. He put her down gently and she barely stirred. She was totally drained from the activities of the past few weeks. He lay beside her and watched her sleep. How was he going to live without her?

The Great Hall was abuzz with excitement the next morning. Students could not believe that Quidditch players they idolized over the last few years were sitting in the same room as them. Hermione was sitting with her fellow Gryffindors when the American team walked in. She shrieked in surprise when large hands grabbed her from behind. When she realized it was Lenny, she started laughing.

"Hey, I was wondering when I would see you! Nat, you are here too!" Hermione exclaimed.

Lenny grabbed Hermione in a bear hug and swung her around. He kissed her cheek and set her down. Natalie hugged her and rolled her eyes at Lenny.

"He wanted to surprise you, I guess he did. How are you?" Natalie asked.

"I am great, I am even better since you and Lenny are here! Let me introduce you to everyone," Hermione said happily.

Draco was at Slytherin's table seething with anger and envy as he watched the exchange. He knew it was Lenny and Natalie from having seen the pictures in Hermione's room. Lenny looked like a cocky bastard to Draco. He did not like seeing that most of Hogwarts female population was casting admiring glances towards the American bloke. Draco pushed these thoughts out of his head when he saw Hermione coming towards him with the brother and sister in tow. He knew they meant a lot to Hermione, so he needed to be on his best behavior.

"Draco, I want you to meet Natalie and Lenny. Guys, this is Draco," Hermione said.

"Hermione has told me so much about you, it is good to finally meet," Draco said in what he hoped was a friendly tone.

"Same here dude, it is nice to finally meet you too. 'Mione is a great girl," Lenny replied.

"It is nice meeting you," Natalie said and smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Her eyes were cold and this unnerved Draco. Did Natalie know?

Hermione was oblivious to this and smiled. "Good, I am glad everyone got to meet. Come on, let me get you two settled. I will see you later Draco."

"Sure, see you later," Draco replied as Hermione walked away with her friends. He knew he was not imagining things when Natalie turned and shot a murderous look at him. She knew.

Hermione was sorry that she could not visit longer with her friends, but she had to attend class that day. The Quidditch tournament would take place for the whole week. The Hogwarts students had to attend class for the first two days, after that there no classes scheduled so they would be able to attend the tournament.

As Hermione walked away, Lenny turned to his sister.

"Nat, you need to stop doing that," Lenny stated.

"Stop doing what?" Natalie asked with an innocent look.

"I saw the nasty glare you gave that Malfoy dude. It is none of our business, we don't know what is going on with his supposed engagement," Lenny replied.

"It is so our business! Hermione is our friend, it is wrong what he is doing. I cannot believe he has not told her yet!" Natalie almost yelled.

"Keep your voice down, Nat! I agree that spineless dickhead should have told Hermione, but it is not our place to do it for him," Lenny said quietly.

Natalie calmed down. "I understand where you are coming from Lenny, but Hermione is going to be devastated when this comes out. The rumors are already flying that Draco is marrying some French chick."

Lenny patted his sister's hand. "All we can do is to make sure we are there for Hermione to help her pick up the pieces when she finds out." Lenny was not as emotional as his sister, but it burned him up inside to know that prick Draco Malfoy was going to make an ass out of their dear friend.

Surprisingly during that week, Ron and Lenny became friends. Ron did not care for the boisterous American wizard at first, but as he talked to him more and watched him in the Quidditch pitch, he gained respect for Lenny. Lenny and his teammates were amazing players and shared a genuine camaraderie and respect for Quidditch. They were able to give Ron tips on improving his technique as a keeper. This did not go unnoticed by the American team's coach. By the end of the week, he had invited Ron to come to the States to tryouts for the American team.

Ron was totally pumped and could not wait to tell his friends. As he was walking back to Gryffindor's dorms, he spotted Hermione. He realized that they had not been friends this school year, but he felt he had to share his good news with her. It dawned on him that he still wanted her as a friend, they had been through too much together not to be.

"Hey Hermione, wait up!" Ron called out.

Hermione turned and was shocked to see Ron acknowledging her. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and find out what he wanted.

"How are you? Look, I apologize for the way I have been acting. You deserve so much better and for what it's worth, I am glad you are happy with Malfoy," Ron said.

"Okay, this is a shock. I accept your apology, but you were being a git!" Hermione replied as she punched him on his arm playfully.

"Friends again?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Of course, don't be daft!" Hermione answered. She felt like she was on the verge of tears. The Ron she always knew and loved was back.

Ron went on to tell her about being invited to tryouts for the American team and how much he liked Lenny and his team. Hermione was so happy for him.

"Ron, this is brilliant, thank you for sharing your news with me. You'll make the team, I know it. They would be nuts not to take you!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Imagine that, me playing Quidditch professionally! Wait 'til I tell Harry and Ginny, I cannot wait to hear their reaction," Ron said.

"I am sure they will be as happy as I am for you. I am glad we are on good terms again, Ron," Hermione replied.

"I am too 'Mione. I hope we can stay friends and keep in touch even when school ends," Ron said and smiled.

"Of course we will," Hermione said as she gave him a quick hug. At that moment, Draco walked up to them. His face had no expression, but Hermione could see in his eyes that he was not pleased.

Ron noticed too and decided that was his cue to go. "Well then, see you later Hermione, Malfoy."

"Yeah, later Weasley," Draco said with a low growl.

Hermione turned to Draco and smiled. "Do you want to get dinner?"

"What was that little exchange all about?" Draco asked ignoring her question.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "If you must know, Ron apologized for the way he has been treating me. He also wanted to let me know he has been invited to tryouts for the American team."

"America will be a good place for the Weasel. I presume you are friends again? The Golden Trio will be reunited and all that other crap?" Draco said sulkily. He was actually a little jealous that the Weasel was invited to tryouts for a professional Quidditch team. He had never received an offer like that.

"What is your problem Draco? You have been acting weird lately. Is something bothering you?" Hermione asked as she looked directly at him.

This would have been the perfect time for Draco to tell Hermione the truth, but he could not bring himself to do it. It was killing him inside.

"I'm sorry love, I overreacted. Please forget it. I am glad you are friends again and that's great news for Weasley," Draco answered.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it's fine. Come on, let's get dinner. I'm starving," Draco said as he grabbed her hand.

The weekend arrived and Hogwarts was hopping. There was a festival atmosphere with booths set up everywhere and activities, along with the Quidditch games taking place. Everyone was in a great mood. Professor McGonagall surveyed the scene and was certain that the right decision was made to hold the Quidditch Tournament at Hogwarts. This was definitely an event that should be held annually and could become a Hogwarts tradition.

That evening a ball was held for everyone attending the event. It was going to be a very grand and formal occasion. The male students wore their dress robes and the female students wore formal dresses. Hermione and Sebastian had gone shopping over the holiday and he helped her find the most exquisite dress. It was a burgundy Dolce & Gabbana silk babydoll dress. The dress had a deep V-neckline with a pleated finish, and was mid-thigh in length. Hermione paired it with black platform pumps. She left her hair down and it fell to her waist in smooth, shiny rivulets. She decided to apply her makeup the way Sebastian had, she liked the smoky-eyed effect.

Hermione thought that she and Draco were going to the ball together, but he said he would meet her there. There was something about him having to meet his parents. Hermione wondered if that was why he had been acting so strange lately. Maybe he wanted to introduce her to his parents. Hermione had a nervous feeling in her stomach. She knew Draco loved and cared about her. If he introduced her to his parents, could there be a marriage proposal coming up? Hermione smiled and laughed in her head. A girl could dream, she thought as she walked out of the dorm room.

When Hogwarts was rebuilt after the war, a huge ballroom was added on. This was where the Quidditch Ball was taking place. Hermione took a deep breath and walked in. As she was about to make her way down the marble staircase leading to the ballroom floor, Philip and Sebastian walked up to her.

"Well hello, I was wondering where you two were!" Hermione said. She was so glad to see her friends and relieved she would not have to walk in alone. Where was Draco?

"It would be our pleasure to escort such a lovely young lady," Philip said. He and Sebastian looked very debonair. They opted not to go with the dress robes and were wearing traditional black tuxedos.

Hermione smiled at her two friends and let them escort her to the ball. Draco noticed Hermione right away and she took his breath away. He was the one that should have been escorting the love of his life to this ball, but he could risk the wrath of his father. Narcissa noticed Draco intensely staring at someone and she realized that it was Hermione Granger. Ms. Granger had definitely grown up into quite a beauty, Narcissa thought to herself. No wonder Draco was so taken with her. As a mother, her heart ached for Draco but he always knew he would have to take a pureblooded bride. There was no way in hell Lucius would accept Hermione Granger.

Lucius Malfoy was speaking to a group of Ministry of Magic officials and did not notice Hermione until one of the officials mentioned her.

"Oh my, isn't Hermione Granger gorgeous! Such a talented witch!" Leopold Davenport said. He was supervisor of the Transfiguration Department at the Ministry of Magic.

Lucius Malfoy looked up and saw the beautiful young girl being escorted by two men. "Well, well the mudblood cleans up nicely," Lucius thought to himself.

"Thank you so much for escorting me in. I have to find Professor McGonagall and Draco. We have a few things to take care of," Hermione told Philip and Sebastian.

"Anytime sweetie, go do what you need to do. Save a dance for me later," Sebastian said and he kissed her cheek.

"You look spectacular, Hermione. Every man has his eyes on you," Philip said and smiled.

"Aw, thanks! You are too kind. I will see you guys later, love you!" Hermione said and blushed.

Philip and Sebastian watched her walk away. They noticed Lucius and Narcissa were present and pondered if they were going to announce Draco's engagement at the Ball. Philip would not put anything past Lucius Malfoy. That man was more of a drama queen than he and Sebastian put together.

Hermione found Professor McGonagall and they went over a few last minute items.

"Hermione, where is Mr. Malfoy? I want my Head Boy and Girl to lead the first dance," Professor McGonagall said.

Hermione looked around the room and spotted him next to his mother. "I see him Professor. I will let him know and we will start the ball."

"Sounds good Ms. Granger. Again, I cannot thank you and Draco enough for your hard work," Professor McGonagall replied as she beamed at Hermione.

"You are so welcome; it looks like our hard work paid off. Well, I will get Draco and we will start the ball," Hermione said and smiled.

Draco's heart started to beat faster as he saw Hermione walking towards him. She had a big smile when she reached him.

"Are you ready to dance? Professor McGonagall wants us to lead the first dance," Hermione said. She smiled at Narcissa and wondered when Draco was going to introduce her to his mother.

"Sure, let's go," Draco said and started to lead her away.

"Draco, aren't you going to introduce your mother to your friend?" Narcissa piped up.

"Oh yeah right. Mother, this is Hermione Granger, she is the Head Girl this year, we share duties," Draco stammered.

Narcissa extended her hand towards Hermione. "Lovely to meet you dear. Your dress is gorgeous."

Hermione shook her hand and replied, "It is nice to meet you Mrs. Malfoy. Thank you, your robe is quite lovely."

"Aren't you sweet! You two kids enjoy your dance," Narcissa said as Draco led Hermione away.

Hermione was puzzled as to why Draco was so nervous around his mother and why he introduced her as nothing more than someone who shared duties with him. She did not like feeling like this and wanted to get to the bottom of it, but she had to tend to the obligations for the Ball first.

Draco and Hermione made their way to the middle of the dance floor. Everyone turned to look at the couple. They definitely made a striking pair. Draco finally felt at ease as he looked down at Hermione.

"You look beautiful, I am glad I get to dance with you first," Draco said.

"Really Draco? You could have fooled me with the way you have been acting," Hermione replied.

Before Draco could probe further, the music started and they began to dance. Professor McGonagall had picked the opening song, which was an old wizard waltz, but thankfully let Hermione hire a deejay to play more modern music after the opening song. The dance was very formal and required that partner's keep their distance, but Draco kept trying to pull Hermione closer to him. Hermione resisted; she was pissed off at him.

Narcissa watched as her son danced with Hermione. Draco was definitely in love with her.

Lucius watched, horrified at the way Draco was consorting with the mudblood. Was it possible that Draco had been carrying on with her? How could Draco be so stupid? He was going to put an end to Draco's frivolous little fling tonight.

The dance ended and Hermione started to walk away. Draco grabbed her arm and said, "Hermione, I will explain everything later tonight. I have to go."

Hermione was confused, what was up with Draco? She spotted Natalie in the sea of people, so she made her way over to her.

"What the hell kind of song was that? I bet cavemen and dinosaurs used to dance to it," Natalie exclaimed.

"I think you're right. Is it okay I hang with you? Draco is acting weird," Hermione said.

"Of course you can hang with me, duh! What is up with Draco?" Natalie asked.

Hermione explained to her how he introduced her to his mother as a mere acquaintance. Natalie listened attentively. Natalie decided that enough was enough. Hermione had been kept in the dark long enough. She was going to tell Hermione what she knew. Just then, Lenny came up to them.

"Come on Hermione baby, let's hit the floor, they are playing our song!"

Lenny grabbed Hermione's hand and led her to the dance floor. She was laughing as he started to dance to "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera. It always amazed Hermione at how a big guy like Lenny was such a smooth dancer. He moved gracefully and anyone dancing with him looked good too. They moved easily around the floor and the crowd stopped to admire them. She looked over and saw Natalie dancing with Ron! She gave Natalie a questioning look and Natalie mouthed "I will tell you later." All of a sudden, the song stopped playing. Hermione gave Lenny a puzzled look. She was about to check with the deejay to see what happened, when she noticed Lucius Malfoy. He had walked over to the deejay's table and taken the microphone.

"I have decided to make an important announcement this evening since my family and I are surrounded by so many friends and colleagues at this lovely Ball," Lucius said. Many of the people at the Ball rolled their eyes at this statement, Lucius Malfoy was not a well-liked man.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce the engagement of my son Draco to Ms. Flori Minieux! They are to be married this summer," Lucius bellowed happily into the microphone. As he said this, Draco walked up holding hands with the beautiful blond. Draco spotted Hermione and saw the look of confusion and horror on her face. He wanted to run to her and leave everything behind, but he could not bear to think about Lucius taking it out on Narcissa if he was to do that.

Lenny shook his head. He could not believe that asshole would make the announcement at the Ball. From the look on Hermione's face, it was obvious Draco did not tell her. Lenny led her away from the dance floor to where Natalie and their parents were waiting.

"Come on 'Mione. Let's get out of here," Natalie said. Natalie and her family led Hermione out of the ballroom, ignoring the stares and whispers of everyone. Ron, Harry, and Ginny walked out of the ball too. They could not believe that the Malfoys had made the announcement at the Ball!

Lucius smirked with satisfaction as he watched the mudblood being led away by mudblood sympathizers. Did she really believe she had a chance with Draco? Draco wanted to run out after her, but found himself surrounded by Ministry officials congratulating him and Flori. The newly engaged couple plastered on fake smiles and pretended to be as happy as their parents were about their engagement.

Hermione apparated with the Dupres to their suite at a hotel in Hogsmeade. She was numb and in shock. The Dupres were worried because Hermione had not uttered a word since they arrived. Ginny, Harry, and Ron ended up with Lenny in the hotel's bar, concerned about their friend. Ginny explained to Ron that she and Harry had found out about the engagement over the holidays, but had no idea Lucius was going to pull a stunt like that.

"That slimy ferret! He really is a git. I feel like an arse 'cause I thought he cared for Hermione," Ron exclaimed.

"I would like to kick Draco's ass! Nat had wanted to tell Hermione about it and I kept her from doing it because I believed if Draco really loved her, he would have come clean," Lenny said.

"I agree with both of you. Ginny wanted to tell Hermione too, but I also thought Malfoy was going to do the right thing," Harry said.

"I am going to go up and meet the girls," Ginny said quietly.

"Okay my darling, we will be down here," Harry replied and kissed her on the cheek.

Ginny smiled and said, "Try not to get too shitfaced!" since Lenny already bought them a round of beer. She shook her head and left the bar.

Philip and Sebastian walked in a few minutes later. Sebastian recognized the guys from seeing Hermione's pictures. He explained who he and Philip were and the guys told him where Hermione could be found.

"Phil, I am going to check on our girl. What a dreadful evening! Leave it to Lucius Malfoy to ruin what was supposed to be a wonderful night," Sebastian said as he left the bar.

Philip smiled. "Can I join you? I sure could use a drink after all this commotion!"

"Sure thing mate, what are you having," Ron replied.

Sebastian made it to the Dupre's suite. He was so concerned about Hermione. She still had not said anything since they left the ball. Sebastian made his entrance known.

"Hey girls. Look, I left that ballroom in half a heartbeat! I was on the verge of telling the Malfoys exactly what I thought of them and their pureblood bullshit! I was looking at Narcissa, she was just standing there with this goofy grin on her face. I wanted to ask the bitch what was up with her hair. It looked like a skunk had died on it! She needs to shoot her hairdresser or whoever told her that looked good."

"That can only be Sebastian," Hermione finally said and chuckled.

Natalie and Ginny looked at each other. Finally, Hermione was showing signs of life. They were really worried about their friend. Sebastian's rant broke the tension and everyone started to laugh.

"We are here for you 'Mione. Can we get anything for you? You just let it out, scream, throw things, whatever works," Natalie said.

"I don't know what I want to do. I still cannot believe this is happening. Why didn't Draco tell me about this? Did you all know?" Hermione asked looking at her friends.

Her friends told her about what they had heard over the holidays, but hesitated to tell her because they did not feel it was their place to do so. Hermione understood their reasons for not alerting her; they all believed that Draco would have let her know before the announcement was made.

The girls and Sebastian talked for a few hours more, comforting Hermione. What struck them was that Hermione never cried. She remained stoic and it seemed as if she was determined not to let this devastating news get her down. Hermione wondered why Draco never told her and let their relationship continue. She truly believed that he loved her. Was it all a farce to sleep with her?

Sebastian went back to his room. Hermione and her friends changed into pajamas and decided to get some sleep. There were two king-sized beds in the suite Natalie and Lenny were sharing so the girls all climbed in one. Hermione's heart was shattered into a million pieces; at least she was able to get some comfort from knowing she had such wonderful, supportive friends.

The guys eventually stopped drinking when the bar shut down. Philip went back to his suite with Sebastian. Lenny told Harry and Ron there was no way they could get back to Hogwarts in the condition they were in, so they spent the night at the hotel too.

Natalie woke up before everyone else and could not help laughing out loud when she saw the scene in their suite. Lenny was sprawled on the bed, Ron had passed out on the floor, and Harry was curled up on a chaise. They were all snoring. Not one to pass up an opportunity like this, Natalie took pictures with her phone. This would be funny to show everyone. Maybe it would cheer Hermione up a little. Natalie knew that Hermione was going to be facing a slow healing process. She would do everything she possibly could to help Hermione. She would love to hex the Malfoys to Mars, but she knew that was unreasonable. It was fun to think about it though.

Eventually everyone in the suite started to stir. Ginny, Harry, and Ron figured they better get back to Hogwarts. Hermione decided to go back with her friends. The Dupres wanted Hermione to stay with them, but she declined their offer.

"Thank you for all that you did for me, but I need to get back to school. I will have to face this sooner or later. I rather get it over with," Hermione told the Dupres.

"I can speak to Professor McGonagall. You do not have to return to school. You could finish school through a correspondence course," Mr. Dupre said.

"I know you mean well Mr. Dupre, but I feel I need to go back. Don't worry, I will be okay," Hermione reassured him.

The Dupre family hugged Hermione and reminded her that they were there for her. Earl and Delia Dupre were appalled that the Malfoy's still hung on to the outdated notion of arranged marriages. There was no way they would have put their children through something so archaic.

Hermione met up with Philip and Sebastian in the lobby as they were checking out of the hotel. The men felt like Mr. Dupre; she should not go back to Hogwarts. Sebastian wanted her to leave with them, but Hermione told them that she wanted to go back and deal with Draco's treachery.

Hermione and her friends were able to get a carriage to take them back. The ride back to Hogwarts was quiet. Hermione stared out of the window. She gave a small smile as Ron patted her hand. Harry and Ginny spoke softly. They were so concerned for Hermione. Was she going to be okay?

The carriage arrived at Hogwarts and the friends made their way into the castle.

"'Mione, maybe it would be best if you came with us to our dorm," Ginny said.

"Gin, I will be fine. I do not even know if Draco will be in our dorm. He will probably be avoiding me like the plague. I mean, he never said a word about his engagement to me, why would he want to talk to me now," Hermione replied.

"Well you know where we are if you need us," Ginny said.

"I know. Thank you all for being there for my crazy drama," Hermione answered and gave a weak laugh.

Her friends hugged her and watched as she walked back to her dorm. Harry and Ron wanted to follow her and wait outside of the dorm, but Ginny convinced them that Hermione wanted to be alone.

Hermione arrived at her dorm room and gave the password to the portrait. When she walked in, her heart caught in her throat. Draco was sitting on the couch in the common room and was still wearing his dress robes from the night before. It was obvious that he had not gotten any sleep. He looked up when he heard Hermione and did not say anything. She walked up to the couch and sat on the end away from him.

Hermione was a little shocked at how calm she was when she asked, "So when were you going to tell me about your upcoming nuptials?"

Draco ran his hands through his hair. "I have been agonizing over this for weeks. I could never find the right time to tell you. I am sorry you found out this way. I had no idea my father was going to do what he did."

"Do you love this girl? How long have you been seeing her?" Hermione asked. It was difficult to ask these things, but she had to know.

"Hermione, I just met her over the holiday. Last night was only the second time I have ever seen her. I don't love her and she does not love me. She has a boyfriend in France and she intends to keep seeing him while we are married," Draco stated.

"Draco, that is pathetic! How can you go through with this marriage?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"I am doing what has been expected of me since birth. My parents were in an arranged marriage, look how well that turned out," Draco said sarcastically.

"And you are okay with your soon-to-be wife keeping her boyfriend?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, because she would have no problem with me continuing to see you," Draco said.

"Did I hear you correctly? You would continue seeing me after you were married? Hermione said and could not believe what she was hearing.

"Sure, Flori has no problem with it. This could work Hermione. I could set you up in a house. I would be able to apparate and see you anytime. We could still be together," Draco said as his face lit up.

Hermione's heart sank. "I get it. I would be your mistress, your whore! I don't know what you think of me, but I would never lower myself to sleep with a married man! I cannot believe I thought I was in love with you. What is wrong with you and your family? I would never ask you to do something so repulsive!"

"Hermione, I am so sorry. I did not mean to offend you. It was the only way I could think of so we could still see each other. Please don't hate me, I could not bear it," Draco said pleadingly.

"It's over Draco. You go enjoy your new life and stay out of mine. I never want to see you again," Hermione said with almost no emotion. Her guard was up and nothing Draco could say or do would penetrate it.

"Hermione please, don't go," Draco pleaded with tears in his eyes.

Hermione knew if she looked at him, she would have caved in. It took all of her willpower to turn her back to Draco and walk out of the dorm room.

Draco watched her walk away and punched the wall in frustration. He sat back on the couch with his head in his hands. He lost the only person who ever meant anything to him. How could he have been so stupid to think she would go along with him and Flori's crazy plan?

Hermione made her way to Professor McGonagall's office. She was hoping the Headmistress would be able to see her today. There were matters that needed to be taken of. Hermione was in luck, as she was about to knock on the Professor's door, Professor McGonagall walked up behind her.

"Ms. Granger, did you need to see me?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yes ma'am. Could you spare a few minutes?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, I always have time for you. Let's go to my office," Professor McGonagall replied.

The Professor gave her password and they made their way to her office. The Professor knew that this had to do with Draco's engagement. She was not happy that Lucius Malfoy used the Ball to make his announcement. Most students thought the Professor was oblivious to what was going on with the students personal lives, but she knew more than she let on. She was aware that Hermione and Draco were seeing each other. It hurt her to think of how Hermione felt when the engagement was announced. It was evident by the look on Hermione's face that she was shocked.

Hermione had decided she no longer wanted to be at Hogwarts. She wanted to know what she needed to do to graduate early. She also wanted to resign her position as Head Girl. Normally, the Professor would tell the student that he or she had to stay for the remainder of the term or they would not graduate, but she made an exception for Hermione.

"Ms. Granger, due to the circumstances I am willing to let you graduate early. You have always been an exceptional student and I hate to see you go, but I think it will be in your best interest to be out of this environment."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. She was going to be able to pull this off! "Professor, what do I need to do?"

Professor McGonagall looked over Hermione's file. "After reviewing your file, everything is in order. You only have to fill out a few forms and you will be free to leave tomorrow morning. I can have your diploma sent to your home."

"That's it? Wow, this is easier than I thought," Hermione answered.

"It is easy for you Ms. Granger, since your record is excellent. I assure you this is an exception. If any of your classmates get ideas, they will be in for a rude awakening," Professor McGonagall said with a smile.

When Hermione was done, she walked to Gryffindor's dorm. She was going to ask Ginny if she could stay with her that night, there was no way she was sleeping in her dorm. Ginny did not hesitate to tell her yes. She told her friends that she was leaving Hogwarts. They were dismayed at first and tried to change her mind. Their tune changed when Hermione told them about Draco's proposition for her to be his mistress.

"The nerve of Malfoy! I cannot imagine how that must have made you feel when he asked that of you 'Mione!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Gin, I felt so cheap. I gave him everything, I guess it did not mean that much to him," Hermione said sadly.

"I think it meant something to him. Maybe his offer was a twisted way to let you know he still cared about you," Ginny reasoned.

Harry and Ron listened and could not believe it. Malfoy really was the ultimate prick. Their good friend had to leave school because of him. Unbelievable.

They went with Hermione to her dorm room so she could pack everything and not be bothered by Malfoy. Thankfully he was not in the dorm when they arrived. They were able to pack up her belongings quickly. Hermione kept out a few items of clothing and toiletries she needed. She looked around the bedroom; all traces of her were gone, just like that.

When they returned to Gryffindor's dorm, Hermione was surprised at how much support she received from her classmates. They were appalled at what Draco and his family had done to her. It saddened them that she was leaving Hogwarts, but they wished her the best and asked that she keep in touch.

Hermione was exhausted from everything so she decided to shower and head to bed. She planned on waking up early the next morning. She had to board the Hogwarts Express at 7:30 a.m. She had emailed Sebastian and he was going to pick her up when she arrived in London. Hermione still had not told her parents she was leaving Hogwarts. She was still trying to figure out a way to tell them. They would have to realize it was for the best. She took a shower and dressed in warm, comfortable fleece pajamas. She snuggled into the bed Ginny had made for her and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Hermione woke up to find someone sitting beside her in the bed. The person was stroking her hair and it actually felt nice. The hand on her hair exuded a soothing touch that was warm. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see Marie Laveau beside her. Marie put her fingers to her lips and said, "Shh."

Hermione immediately sat up in the bed. "Am I dreaming?" She asked Marie.

Marie took her hand. "Come with me child. We gonna take another walk in my city. You and I need to talk."

Within seconds, Hermione and Marie were on Magazine Street in New Orleans. They walked arm in arm and Marie started to speak.

"I am so disappointed in your young man. I thought he would have stood up to his bastard of a father. You realize how much that boy loves you?" Marie asked.

"How could he have done what he did if he loves me so much? I am so confused. I love him but I will not be his whore," Hermione replied.

"You know that marriage is headed for disaster. Draco will find you again. It might take some time, but the fates say you two are destined to be together," Marie said.

"At this point, I do not have much faith in what the fates have to say, no pun intended," Hermione said.

"Girl, no need for sarcasm. Look, you need to do something," Marie answered.

"What do I have to do, sacrifice a goat?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"Aren't you in a rare form tonight! You don't have to sacrifice anything, but you do need to bury a few items. You need to bury that necklace and earrings you are wearing, plus any photos of you and Draco," Marie said.

Hermione started to laugh. "Okay and what is that going to solve?"

"If you two are really meant to be together, a day will come where you will both be drawn to the place where you buried the jewelry and photos. After you bury these items tonight, you will eventually forget about them. It might be years from now, but one day a thought will hit you like a bolt of lightning. You will not be able to stop thinking about the items and will not rest until you recover them. If the fates are correct, Draco will there too," Marie replied.

Hermione figured this was just a crazy dream since she was so exhausted. She decided to go along with it and do what Marie asked of her. She found herself with Marie near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A hole was already there and Hermione saw a tin box in it. She picked up the box and opened it. Sure enough, the items were inside. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked at the photos she and Draco had taken this past New Year's Eve. They were so happy that day. She placed the box back inside the hole and it was magically covered up. Hermione wondered how was she supposed to know exactly where it was buried since the ground showed no signs of being disturbed. Marie read her thoughts.

"You will know the exact place to start digging, trust me. Let's get you back to bed," Marie said.

Hermione woke up a few hours later and had to laugh about her crazy dream. She stopped laughing when she noticed blades of grass on her feet. Had she really been walking outside? She felt around on her neck and noticed her necklace was gone. Her earrings also were no longer there. Shit, she probably really did bury them! Well, it was a good thing, the jewelry and photos were only reminders of HIM. Hermione was ready to start a new life.

**I am not ready to end this, so there will be much more to add. I really like the characters in this story. Thank you again for the wonderful reviews and alerts since I posted the last chapter! Makes my heart sing.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything regarding Harry Potter!**

It was surreal to believe that she was actually leaving Hogwarts for good. The school had played such a large role in Hermione's formative years. Hermione grabbed her backpack and looked around the dorm. Ginny walked up to her and hugged her.

"I guess this is it. Are you sure you are going to be okay?" Ginny asked.

Hermione nodded. "I'm fine Gin. I will just take it day by day. It will be good to be home."

"Let me know if there is anything you need. I will touch base with you every day now that Harry showed me how to use email! I just hate that you are leaving. It doesn't seem fair that you won't graduate with your class," Ginny replied.

"It's better this way. I am okay with it. Thanks for being there for me," Hermione said as she hugged Ginny tightly.

The girls walked out of Gryffindor's dorm. Harry and Ron were waiting at the entrance of the castle. They walked with Hermione and Ginny to the train depot to see her off. As they walked onto the platform, they could hear the Hogwarts Express approaching.

"Email me to let me know you made it back okay and stay in touch," Harry said.

"I still say we beat the crap out of Malfoy," Ron said.

"Ronald, you will do nothing of the sort!" Hermione scolded him, but with a smile.

"I know, but it would serve that git right!" Ron replied and chuckled.

"Well, looks like my ride is here. I will let all of you know what I plan to do as soon as I figure it out. I just feel like I do not know which end is up right now," Hermione replied.

Hermione hugged her friends tightly as the train arrived. They reluctantly let her go and she started to walk towards the train. It was all so bittersweet. Hermione stepped onto the train and waved at them. She had a small smile and walked into the car. She sat at a window seat and kept waving at her friends until they were only small specks in the distance as the train pulled further away. She had really done it, no more Hogwarts or Draco. Thankfully, there were only a few older wizards and witches taking the Hogwarts Express to go back to London. They did not even seem to notice her there. Hermione inserted her ear plugs and started to listen to her IPod. When the first song came on and she heard the lyrics, she finally allowed herself to cry.

_Take me if you need me_

_But never hold me down_

_You're asking me to trust you_

_Well there's little of that around_

_I'm trying to believe you_

_And I'm learning all the time_

_Two-part personality_

_The flower and the vine_

_Take me sleeping angel_

_Catch me when you can_

_Real love affairs are heavy spells_

_For a woman and a man_

_-Sleeping Angel by Stevie Nicks_

Draco had spent the night in Slytherin's dorm. He could not bear to stay in his dorm. There were reminders of Hermione everywhere. Draco poured his heart out to Blaise and Pansy. They felt terrible for their friend, but they knew it was inevitable. Lucius was not going to back down. Draco had slept for only a few hours. He woke up and decided to head back to his dorm. He figured Hermione had spent the night in Gryffindor's dorm, so she probably would not be there. When Draco arrived and entered the room, he knew something was amiss. He decided to take a chance and check Hermione's bedroom. He was shocked at what awaited him. The room was empty, even the bed was stripped. It was as if no one had ever inhabited it. Where did Hermione go? Draco had never felt as lonesome in all his life as he did at that moment. The one person in the world he truly loved and cared about had simply vanished. Like she had never even existed, he thought. The pain in his heart told him otherwise.

Draco took a very quick shower and dressed. He decided to go to the Great Room for breakfast. The last thing he felt like doing was eating, but maybe the heartache would not be as bad in a room full of students. He also was hoping to catch a glimpse of Hermione. When he was about to step into the Great Room, he was stopped by Professor McGonagall.

"Draco, might I have a word with you?" the Professor asked.

Draco silently cursed and wondered what this was about. Was she going to tear into him for what had happened at the Ball? It was not his fault; that was all Lucius' handy work. Draco followed the Professor to her office. She uttered the password at the entrance and they stepped in. She motioned to one of the chairs in front of her desk, indicating to Draco to take a seat. Once they were seated, the Professor began to speak.

"I will get straight to the point. Ms. Granger is no longer here at Hogwarts due to the incident which occurred at the Ball. We both agreed it would be in her best interest. I have decided to appoint Millicent Bulstrode as Head Girl."

Draco was speechless. McGonagall did not beat around the bush! When he regained his composure, he started to speak. "What do you mean Ms. Granger is no longer here? How is that possible? Did she quit school?"

"Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger's Hogwarts record is impeccable. She was allowed to graduate early," Professor McGonagall stated. She stared at Draco to gauge his reaction. Because of his family's narrow-minded values, Hogwarts lost one of their best students.

"Draco, how could you keep your engagement from her?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply.

Draco could only stare at her in disbelief.

"Don't look at me like that. I am old, but I am definitely not blind! I knew you and Ms. Granger were in a relationship. For Merlin's sake, you two were always at each other's throats, I figured there was something brewing beneath the surface and I was correct," Professor McGonagall said as she shook her head.

"Professor, you have to believe me when I say I did not want Hermione to get hurt! I had no idea my father was going to do this. I was going to tell her, I swear!" Draco exclaimed.

"Calm down Mr. Malfoy, you do not have to convince me. Trust me; I know how overbearing your father is," Professor McGonagall replied.

"Professor, would it be terrible if I stepped down as Head Boy? My heart isn't into it and I am afraid I am no longer worthy of the position," Draco said.

"If that is the way you feel, it can be arranged," Professor McGonagall answered.

"Thank you Professor, I appreciate it," Draco said sadly.

"Draco, why don't you take the day off from your classes? That way you can move out of the Head dorm and back into Slytherin's dorm. I am going to appoint Neville Longbottom in your place," Professor McGonagall said and smiled. After speaking to Draco and seeing how pitiful he looked, she felt sorry for him. She realized he must really love Hermione.

Draco nodded and proceeded to walk out of her office. He was still trying to sort out everything that happened in the last few days. He took the Professor's advice and moved back into Slytherin's dorm. He was glad to be out of the Head Dorm, too many memories. Draco was going to have to face reality; Hermione was gone. She was gone all because of his family's stupid tradition. It was his entire fault.

Hermione had stopped crying by the time the Hogwarts Express had reached Kings Cross station. She had been holding it in and it was good to let it all out. The pain was still there, but crying about it helped. She was determined not to let this get the best of her. Sometimes you have to say "what the fuck" and move on.

The train came to stop. Hermione grabbed her backpack and made her way to the exit. She looked around and it hit here that this had been her last ride on the Hogwarts Express. It was amazing how quickly one's life could change so drastically in only a few days. Hermione was relieved to see Sebastian waiting on the platform for her. She ran up to him and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and stood back to look at his friend.

"This is going to sound weird, but I am glad that you look like you just had a good cry! I was worried back in Hogsmeade, you were barely talking! Don't hold in those emotions, let it go!" Sebastian exclaimed.

Hermione gave a small smile. "I don't think it is weird at all. I guess I held in the tears because I did not want to give Draco the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I can tell you this; no one will ever have the power to hurt me this much again."

"I don't doubt that sugar britches. I do believe you are on the road to recovery," Sebastian replied.

"Sugar britches, really?" Hermione asked and laughed in spite of how miserable she was feeling.

"Would you prefer sugar tits?" Sebastian asked sarcastically and started to laugh.

Hermione playfully pushed him away from her, than linked arms with her friend. He was right; she was on the road to recovery. Albeit a road with many twists and turns, but it was a start.

Sebastian brought her back home. It was only 9:30 a.m.; Hermione's parents were at work in their dental office. She knew that they would come home during their lunch hour and that is when she would explain to them why she was no longer at school. Hermione was able to magically transport the bulk of her belongings to her room. She spent the next two hours putting everything away. When she was done, she sat on her bed. The tears started coming again when she thought about the night Draco spent in her bedroom. How could he have done this to her, she believed him when he said he loved her. Hermione heard her parents' vehicle pull into their driveway. She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. It was time to tell them everything. She made her way downstairs and waited for them in the living room.

Mr. Granger walked in first. He hung up his overcoat and was thinking about the pot roast he was going to reheat for lunch. He walked past the living room and was about to step into the kitchen when he saw Hermione sitting on the couch.

"Hermione, what are you doing here? Mum and I didn't know you were coming! Is everything okay?" Mr. Granger asked.

Hermione could not help it; she burst into tears and ran to her father. He held her close as she sobbed. He patted her hair.

"There, there dear. It cannot be that bad," Mr. Granger said in a soothing tone.

Mrs. Granger walked in and dropped her handbag. "Why is Hermione here? Oh my, what happened? Why is she so upset?"

Mr. Granger looked at her over Hermione's head and shrugged. After a few minutes, Hermione's sobs subsided.

"I'm sorry dad, I think I may have ruined your shirt," Hermione said.

"Honey, don't worry about that. I can change shirts. What happened?" Mr. Granger asked.

Hermione sat with her parents in the living room and told them everything that had happened. When she was done, Mr. and Mrs. Granger were at a loss for words. Within a span of fifteen minutes, they found out that their daughter had lost her virginity to someone she had always detested, had fallen in love with him, and then lost him because he was engaged to someone else. Also, there was the fact that Hermione was done with Hogwarts and now had to decide what she was going to do with her life. When she finished speaking, Hermione looked at her parents. It was a little scary to her that they were not saying anything. Finally her mother spoke.

"This has been quite an enlightening lunch hour Hermione. I am not sure what to say. Draco Malfoy of all people? Honey, he terrorized you and your friends almost the whole time you attended Hogwarts. You have always been so level-headed dear, what compelled you to have a relationship with Draco Malfoy?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Mum, I can't explain it. Draco changed this year or I thought he had. I honestly thought he cared for me," Hermione said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Hermione, your mum is right. You have always been so smart, how could you have made such a stupid decision to sleep with that young man. Of course he made you feel like he cared about you, guys his age are only after one thing," Mr. Granger said as he tried to hold back his anger. He was so disappointed with Hermione. As for Draco, he would have liked to strangle him for hurting his daughter.

"Daddy, I thought he loved me," Hermione said as she sobbed her voice breaking.

Mr. Granger immediately regretted speaking to her so sharply. He pulled Hermione in his arms and patted her back. "I'm sorry I spoke to you so abruptly; it is just that this is such a shock for your mum and me."

"I know, but I wanted you and mum to know the truth," Hermione said.

Hermione's father eventually went back to the office, but her mother stayed at home with her. She felt like a small child again as her mother fixed her a bowl of chicken noodle soup. They talked more as the afternoon wore on. Hermione had always been close to her mother, she was able to tell her everything. Mrs. Granger listened and felt terrible for her daughter. She could not imagine how painful it must have been for Hermione to find out Draco was engaged. Hermione went to bed early. Her mother sat beside her and gently rubbed her back until she fell asleep. Mrs. Granger got up and closed the door to Hermione's bedroom. She went downstairs and met Mr. Granger in the kitchen, where he was nursing a glass of scotch. He had left work early; he could not concentrate after hearing Hermione's news. He was taken aback when Mrs. Granger pour herself a drink too. She never drank hard liquor, only an occasional glass of wine. She saw Mr. Granger staring at her and she grimaced as the scotch burned her throat.

"I needed this after today!" Mrs. Granger said.

"I understand dear, I am still trying to process it all," Mr. Granger replied. They sat in silence and sipped their drinks. Hermione had been dealt a serious blow; they would just have to make sure they would be there if she needed them.

In the next few weeks, Hermione stayed close to home and did not venture out much. She and her parents had visited two college campuses in London, King's College and the Chelsea College of Art and Design. Hermione had been accepted to both. She had always been interested in interior design. Mr. and Mrs. Granger seemed to think it would be in her best interest to stay close to home. It pleased them to see that Hermione would perk up when they toured the campuses; she was always at home in an academic setting. College would be a positive change for Hermione.

Hermione kept in touch with her friends via email and texting. She had found out from Ginny that Draco resigned his position as Head Boy and always looked miserable. Hermione's heart dropped when she found out, but she needed to stop thinking about Draco. He made his bed, he could lie in it. She talked to Sebastian every day. She finally went to visit him at his salon.

"Sweetie, I am so glad to see you, you look good," Sebastian said when he saw Hermione walk into his salon.

"Thank you, it was time to get out of the house," Hermione said and smiled.

"I am almost done with Ms. Lynda, why don't you wait for me in my office," Sebastian said as he was blow drying his client's hair.

Hermione looked at various hairstyling magazines while she waited for Sebastian. He walked in about ten minutes later and plopped down into a chair.

"Whew, this is the first time I sit down today! I was serious when I said you looked good, you look 100% better!" Sebastian said.

"I feel better too. I was unsure at first, but I think I made the right decision by leaving Hogwarts. I am getting pumped to start college in the fall," Hermione replied.

"Good! I am so glad to hear that, you seem happy," Sebastian said.

Hermione smiled. "I am happy; I just try not to think about a certain person. Sebastian, I don't know if I will ever get over Draco."

Sebastian took her hand in his. "Oh honey, it is going to take a while, but it will get better. I know you love him, but let's face facts. The boy is marrying someone else in a few months. That nutless wonder never stood up to his father."

"I know, I think that is why it is so painful to me. I guess I really did not mean that much to him," Hermione said.

"Don't ever say that Hermione. I think the little shit did love you, but won't go against his parents. That is just how some of those pureblooded families are, warped!" Sebastian stated.

"I don't want to talk about him anymore. What's new with you?" Hermione asked wanting to change the subject. She was starting to feel down again.

"Oh my goodness, I have something to tell you that has to do with HIM, but trust me, it is funny!' Sebastian said as he chuckled.

"Okay, go ahead, I can see you are about to burst," Hermione said and laughed.

"Well, guess who decided to come into my salon yesterday acting like she owned the place?" Sebastian asked.

"I have no idea," Hermione said, still laughing.

"None other than Narcissa Malfoy! Can you believe that shit? She strolled in like she was a queen and wanted me to stop everything to style her hair! The nerve of her!" Sebastian exclaimed.

"I am shocked that she graced the muggle world with her presence," Hermione replied.

"I have a good clientele of witches and I guess word is getting around about my salon. I told her that she would have to see my receptionist and make an appointment. You know I don't do walk-ins unless it is for someone I like, like you," Sebastian said.

"Did she make an appointment?" Hermione asked.

"No! The bitch said that Malfoys do not have to make appointments. I told her that was the only way she was going to be able to get her hair styled. Guess what the bitch did next?"

"Oh Merlin, do I want to know?" Hermione asked and giggled.

"She threatened me and said that she was going to badmouth me to the entire wizarding world. By this time I had about enough of her antics, I told her to get out of my salon. I also told her to take her tired ass out of here and that thing that died and was sitting on her head!" Sebastian said and was laughing so hard he almost fell to the floor.

"I miss all the good stuff! Are you worried about her spreading nasty things about your salon?" Hermione asked, laughing too.

"Hell no! Even if I would lose my witch clientele and I know I won't, I have plenty of muggle clients. I won't starve," Sebastian said.

"Wow, she really is a piece of work," Hermione said.

"Yes she is. Enough of Narcissa, what are you doing tonight?" Sebastian asked.

"Nothing, I was going to stay home," Hermione answered.

"Well it is a big Friday night; you are going to hang out with me. Philip is on assignment for a few days, so I'm single at the moment. Want to catch dinner and a movie?" Sebastian asked.

"You know that sounds like fun. It has been years since I have been to a muggle movie theater," Hermione said.

"I will pick you up at about 6:00 p.m. Dress warmly, we are taking the Harley!" Sebastian replied and grinned wickedly.

"Okay Mr. Adventurous, I will be waiting," Hermione replied.

"Sounds good sweetie, let me get back to work. By the way, it is good to have you back in the land of the living," Sebastian said.

Hermione left his salon and made her way back home. Sebastian was right; it was good to get back into the swing of things. It was going to be a slow process, but eventually the heaviness in heart would become less burdensome and she would not think of Draco every minute of the day.

Sebastian arrived to pick up Hermione and made small talk with her parents. Mr. Granger wondered why Hermione was going out with this man, but did not put up a fuss since his wife seemed to know Sebastian well. When Hermione and Sebastian left, Mrs. Granger explained that he was gay and Hermione was in good hands. Mr. Granger watched as Sebastian cranked up the huge motorcycle and took off with Hermione clinging to him. He only shook his head; so many things had changed with Hermione in the past few weeks. What next?

Sebastian and Hermione had dinner at Tokyo Diner. Hermione was glad that she had agreed to go out with Sebastian. She was really having a good time. The food was great and the conversation was insane and fun, as usual. They decided to watch a comedy at a multiplex theater. The movie was quite funny, Hermione thought. She was going to have to tell her parents about it. They would probably enjoy it. Hermione was feeling very happy and lighthearted for the first time in weeks. This changed as she and Sebastian were walking out of the theater.

Sebastian saw the couple first and tried to divert Hermione's attention, but she saw them. Draco was leaving the theater with Flori. He opened the door for his fiancée and as she walked out, he turned and saw Hermione and Sebastian.

"Flori, just wait here. I see someone I know," Draco said quickly as he started to make his way to Hermione.

Hermione saw him coming and started to walk very fast, pulling Sebastian with her. "Let's just get out of here, I can't take this Sebastian."

They made it out of the doors and continued walking to Sebastian's motorcycle. Draco gave up trying to get Hermione's attention as he watched her leave with Sebastian. He walked back to Flori.

"I take it that was Hermione?" Flori asked.

"Yes that was Hermione. Come on, we better get back to the Manor," Draco replied.

"Draco, are you okay? It looks like she was on a date," Flori said.

"No, the guy she was with is her friend," Draco said abruptly.

"I'm sorry I made you take me to a movie. I could not stand being cooped up with your parents and mine. I had no idea we would meet up with your Hermione," Flori replied and she meant every word.

"Flori, I am sorry if was short with you. It was good to get away from the parents. You don't know what it is doing to me seeing Hermione tonight," Draco replied.

"Why don't you try to go to her tonight? Can't you apparate to her house?" Flori asked.

"It is not as simple as that. Hermione would probably hex me into another dimension! She hates me," Draco said sadly.

"Why don't you give it a try? I do not think she would hex you, I believe this girl loves you. It has been a few weeks since you last saw her, maybe she is ready to hear you out," Flori said.

"That sounds crazy, but I am desperate. I'll go to Hermione later tonight. If I don't make it back to the Manor, I was probably hexed to hell," Draco answered.

"Hopefully that will not happen! Maybe she will be as understanding as my Jean-Luc," Flori said.

"Aren't we a pair, engaged to be married and we are in love with other people. Sucks to be us Flori," Draco said. They apparated back to Malfoy Manor. Draco waited a few hours and apparated to Hermione's bedroom.

Sebastian brought Hermione home. He walked her to the door and hugged his friend tightly.

"I am so sorry you saw him," Sebastian said softly.

"Sebastian, I will not be able to stay in London. I had no idea the Malfoys are hanging out in the muggle world! This is it; I am going to college in the States. I cannot stay here," Hermione said.

"Hermione, don't let them drive you away from your home! Go to LSU if that is what you really want, but don't leave because you may run into that stupid boy and his family!" Sebastian said angrily.

"I can't explain it Sebastian. Seeing him tonight brought back all of my old feelings. It sounds crazy but I feel like my heart is breaking into a million pieces. I think leaving here will be the best thing I can do to keep my sanity," Hermione said as tears coursed down her face.

Sebastian wiped away the tears. "Don't cry anymore. I guess I am just a selfish old queen who doesn't want his friend to move so far away!"

Hermione laughed in spite of how distraught she felt. "Only you can make me laugh at a time like this."

"Are you going to okay? I can come in with you and we can talk," Sebastian said.

"I am going to be fine. Thank you for taking me out tonight. It was great until the end of the evening!" Hermione said.

"Yeah, that definitely killed it. Goodnight baby girl, I know you will be okay," Sebastian said.

"Goodnight and thank you for being such an awesome friend," Hermione said and smiled through her tears.

Sebastian walked to back to his motorcycle and cranked it up. He waved to Hermione as he gunned the engine and took off. Hermione watched him until she could not see the taillights anymore and walked into the house. What a night.

Hermione made her way to her bedroom. She was tired and could not wait to get into a pair of comfy pajamas. She checked on her parents and they were fast asleep. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. Changing into fleece pajama bottoms and a cotton T-shirt, she climbed into bed. Hermione tossed and turned for about 15 minutes, then finally fell asleep.

Draco apparated into her bedroom without disturbing Hermione. His breath caught as he watched her sleep. How he missed his beautiful, sweet Hermione. Draco removed his overcoat, revealing sweatpants and a T-shirt underneath. He climbed in the bed next to Hermione and wrapped his arms around her. Draco closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair and body. This was where he belonged.

Hermione stirred. She was having the most wonderful dream. Draco was with her and holding her. The dream was so vivid; she could actually feel his arms around her and smell his familiar scent. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open. Merlin, Draco really was in bed with her! Her eyes adjusted to the dark room and she saw him smiling at her.

"Draco, I am only going to ask you once. What the hell are you doing here!" Hermione whispered angrily.

"Hermione, please hear me out. I cannot bear to be away from you. Tell me that this doesn't feel right. We are meant to be together. I love you," Draco said softly.

"We can't do this Draco! You were with your fiancée earlier! Don't you think she might wonder where you went off to?" Hermione whispered.

"That's the beauty of it Hermione. She told me to come to you. This could work, we would never have to stop seeing each other," Draco said pleadingly.

"You need to leave Draco and never come back. I told you before that I will not be your whore! You can't do this to me!" Hermione replied.

Draco pulled her to him and crushed his lips to hers. Hermione started to push him away, but her body betrayed her and started to respond to his kiss. She hated herself for giving in to him, but it felt so right and she missed him so much. Draco was taken aback when Hermione ran her hands under his shirt to caress his chest. He pulled his T-shirt off and went back to kissing her. He was so glad he had listened to Flori. It was working; he would get to keep seeing Hermione. How he missed having her gorgeous body next to his every night while they were at Hogwarts. Draco pushed up her T-shirt and fondled her breasts. He started to kiss her neck and made his way to her breasts. She ran her fingers through his hair as he sucked on one breast and grabbed the other one. Hermione gasped as waves of pleasure swept through her body. She let Draco remove her T-shirt. He started to kiss her again and moved to nibble her ear.

"I love you Hermione," Draco whispered.

"I love you too Draco," Hermione whispered back.

They quickly shed the rest of their clothes and Draco entered Hermione in one smooth thrust. He never took her eyes off of her face as he pounded into her. Hermione rubbed his back and wrapped her legs around his waist. He came quickly and bit down lightly on her shoulder so he would not wake up her parents while he groaned loudly with pleasure. Draco rolled off her and pulled her to him. Hermione rested her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her arm.

"I am so glad you let me stay love. I don't ever want to be apart from you again," Draco said softly.

"I missed you so much," Hermione said and she reached up and kissed him. Draco kissed her back fervently and started to become aroused again. He pulled Hermione on top of him and they made love again. Draco held her tightly and again his eyes never left her face. She came at the same time he reached his orgasm. Hermione moved off of him and lay beside him. Draco kissed her deeply and pulled her back into his arms. He noticed that the clock beside her bed read 3:30 a.m.

"I hate to leave, but I will have to get back. I am supposed to go pheasant hunting with father and Flori's dad in a few hours," Draco said.

"I understand, duty calls," Hermione replied.

"I am so glad that we are going to be together! I knew it would work. I will come back tomorrow night around the same time my love," Draco said as he pulled his clothes back on.

Hermione stayed in her bed and pulled the covers over her. She only nodded.

Draco walked over to the bed and knelt down beside it. "Are you okay? You don't regret doing this, do you? I detest having to sneak around but it is the only way we can be together. I love you so much."

Hermione looked over at him. "It's fine, I'll see you tomorrow night. I love you too." 

Draco kissed her again and stood up. "Well, I will be going. I will be counting the minutes until I see you again."

Hermione nodded and smiled as he apparated out of her bedroom. As soon as Draco was gone, she collapsed in heaving sobs. How could she let this happen? She was so conflicted, she wanted him as badly as he wanted her, but it was all so wrong! Regardless of the fact that Draco and Flori planned on having an open marriage, Hermione decided she wanted no part of it! She went to the bathroom and took a hot shower. She put on clean pajamas and began to strip her bed. She wanted there to be no traces of Draco.

She could not sleep with all the thoughts racing in her mind, so she went downstairs and had a cup of tea. Hermione decided then and there that she was definitely going to the States. She found her phone and texted Natalie.

_If I can leave on a flight today, can you pick me up at the airport? I can't stay here any longer! Is it okay if I crash at your place?_

Hermione had almost finished her tea when her phone beeped. Natalie had texted her back.

_Let me know what time your flight will be arriving and yes you can crash with us! Is everything alright?_

Hermione texted Natalie back.

_I will tell you when I get there. You know me, always drama!_

Mr. and Mrs. Granger woke up when they heard Hermione stirring in the kitchen. They were surprised to see her up so early. Hermione took the opportunity to tell her parents she decided to leave for Louisiana as soon as possible. The Grangers were bewildered by this sudden decision. Hermione explained how she saw Draco with his fiancée the night before. She told her parents that she would never be able to get over Draco if she kept seeing him whenever she went out. She did not dare mention that Draco had been in her room earlier. Her parents would never have understood. Her parents pleaded with her to think more about attending one of the schools she had visited here in London, but Hermione stood her ground. She was leaving on the first flight out.

She checked the airline schedules online and was able to book a flight leaving at 3:00 p.m. that afternoon. Hermione packed quickly and decided she could get the rest of her things later. She did all of this to keep her mind off of Draco. If she did not get out of here today, she would not be able to resist Draco any longer. She was determined not to settle being his mistress.

Hermione texted Natalie and let her know what time she would be arriving. She also texted Sebastian and let him know she was leaving. Sebastian immediately texted her back, asking her if something had happened. Hermione texted and told him she would let him know later. Her parents reluctantly brought her to the airport. They made Hermione promise to call them as soon as she arrived. They also let her know she always had a home to come back to if things did not work out in Louisiana. She hugged her parents tightly and apologized for leaving this way, but she felt it was the only way.

"Hermione, your father and I have decided that we will take a later flight tonight to Baton Rouge. We want to see LSU's campus. Daddy and I want to make sure it is a good place for you," Mrs. Granger said.

"We also want to meet the Dupres. I know they are good friends, but your mum and I do not know hardly anything about them," Mr. Granger said.

"I totally understand and I am sorry I have been acting like a lunatic these past few weeks. I promise the both of you that moving to the States is the best thing for me," Hermione replied.

"Shush dear, you are not crazy. You have had so much happen to you in a short span of time," Mrs. Granger answered.

Hermione's parents hugged her and watched her walk to her terminal. They arranged their flight to leave at 8:30 p.m. When they would arrive at the airport in Baton Rouge, they decided they would rent a car and a hotel room. Hermione had given them Lenny and Natalie's address so they could meet her there the next morning.

As the jet took off, Hermione leaned back and closed her eyes. A part of her felt badly because she felt she had led Draco on by letting him think she had accepted his proposition. It was difficult to explain; when Draco came to her, she could only think about loving him again. As soon as he had left, her conscience and reasoning took over. Draco was to be married; it was so wrong to continue this twisted, dysfunctional relationship with him. Hermione was reassured that she made the right decision by leaving.

Later that evening, Draco apparated to Hermione's bedroom. He was shocked that she was nowhere to be found. He stealthily made his way out of her bedroom and immediately noticed that the whole house was eerily quiet. There were only a few lights turned on throughout the house. No one was there. Had Hermione gone out with her parents and had forgotten to tell him? Draco went back to her bedroom and sat down on her neatly made bed to wait for her. As he did, he felt something bump his hand. It was an envelope. He did a lumos charm with his wand and saw his name written on it in Hermione's neat handwriting. Draco ripped it open and quickly read the contents.

_Draco,_

_If you are reading this, I know you are in my bedroom waiting for me. I have decided that I cannot continue seeing you like this. I am sorry, but a relationship with you isn't healthy! I know you love me, but I felt so dirt and guilty after you left last night. You are going to be married in a few months. I know you say Flori understands; but you are still taking a vow of marriage with her. I have always believed when you marry someone, it was because you loved and respected that person. I made the decision to leave London so there will be no chance of running into you. We could not keep doing this; it just isn't fair to you or me. One day you will know I did the right thing. _

_Hermione_

Draco sat and read this with utter disbelief. He had been so happy, he really thought Hermione was going to accept his marriage and continue to be with him. He ripped up the letter into tiny pieces and let them fall to the floor. He apparated back to Malfoy Manor and went straight to his parents' liquor cabinet. Draco grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey and went back to his room. He sat down heavily in a chair near the fireplace. He drank straight from the bottle and stared into the fire. Damn her, why did she let him think he was going be able to keep seeing her? He finished off the Firewhiskey and threw the bottle into the fireplace. The bottle shattered and there were shards of broken glass everywhere. Draco didn't care. His life was fucked. He was just going to go through the motions from now on. No one was going to have his heart again.

Hermione arrived in Baton Rouge and Natalie was waiting for her. Hermione grabbed her luggage and left the airport with her friend. Natalie smiled at her.

"I am so glad you are here. I can't believe you are coming to LSU, this is going to be great!"

"Oh Nat, I have been doing so much so soul-searching. You won't believe what happened last night," Hermione replied.

Hermione proceeded to tell her everything that happened with Draco. Natalie only stared at her and listened. It was one of the only times in her life Natalie was rendered speechless. Hermione was definitely full of surprises. Who needed a soap opera when you had Hermione and Draco?

They arrived at Lenny and Natalie's house. Lenny went out to meet them and carried Hermione's luggage. The siblings were genuinely happy that Hermione made the decision to move to Louisiana to attend LSU. After Natalie told Lenny what happened with Draco, he agreed that Hermione did the right thing by coming here. Draco would have driven her crazy.

Hermione's parents arrived and spent a few days touring the area with Hermione. They liked the campus and were glad they were able to see it. They had dinner with Earl and Delia Dupre who let them know that they thought of Hermione as one of their own and would keep an eye on her. After meeting the Dupre family, the Grangers were reassured that Hermione was going to be in good hands.

The day before Hermione's parents were leaving, they decided to tour the plantations in a small town called St. Francisville. St. Francisville was about 45 minutes away from Baton Rouge. It was a lovely town located on the levees of the Mississippi River. Mr. Dupre had recommended visiting there. He had restored a few of the plantations. Hermione immediately fell in love with the area. It was typical small town America. She and her parents toured a few of the plantations. When Hermione stepped into the rooms, she found that she could see into the past. It was a bit freaky at first, but then it started to feel familiar. She could actually see what the room had looked like before it was restored. Hermione did not realize it at this time, but this would prove to be very useful to her when she would start her career as an interior designer.

As she and her parents were leaving St. Francisville, she noticed a For Sale sign at the end of a long driveway. Hermione did not know what compelled her to make her father drive to the property. She felt that she had to see it. The house was a cottage with a wide front porch. Hermione took out her cell phone and called the realtor. Her parents looked at each other and shrugged. The realtor happened to be in the area and was able to meet them. Her name was Nell Davenport. She was an attractive woman in her mid-50s and had platinum hair styled in a chin-length bob. Nell was petite, barely 5 feet tall and was constantly in motion. She knew how to sell a home. The Grangers liked her immediately.

Nell stepped out of her black BMW convertible and greeted them.

"Hey ya'll! What brings you to St. Francisville? Darling, I just love your accent. Are you British?" Nell asked.

Hermione and her parents explained that they were from London and that Hermione would be attending LSU in the fall. Nell listened to this attentively.

"How about we take a look inside? Let me know what you think," Nell said.

They entered the home and Hermione immediately fell in love with it. It had wood floors throughout, with two spacious bedrooms and baths. There was a back deck overlooking a large backyard. The home was only a few years old and was equipped with all modern conveniences. She had to have it. After much discussion with her parents and Nell, her parents finally agreed to let her purchase the property with the money they had given her. She would still have plenty left over for school and personal expenses. Her parents still were not too keen on Hermione living by herself. Nell showed them the security system of the home. She also let them know that her uncle was the police chief of St. Francisville. He and his deputies were always patrolling the area. Hermione would be fine.

It would take a few weeks for the closing to take place on the home, so it was agreed Hermione would stay with Lenny and Natalie until she could move in. Hermione could not believe how everything was coming together. It was happening so fast, but it kept her mind off of him.

When she went to bed that night, she allowed herself to think of Draco. A lump started to form in her throat and she pushed her face into the pillow so no one would hear her cry. It was going to be a long healing process. When she stopped crying, she turned over in her bed and stared out of the window. She wondered how Draco was doing.

Draco had fallen asleep in the chair. He woke up with a start and immediately grabbed his pounding head. He stood up and cursed when he almost stepped on a shard of glass. He yelled for one of the house elves to clean the mess up. Draco needed fresh air and he walked out on the balcony that connected to his bedroom. The sun was coming up and it hurt his eyes, but the cold air felt good. He looked out into the distance and wondered where Hermione was.

**This was a hard chapter to complete! I assure you it is going somewhere, the idea has been brewing in my head for days now. I have been listening to the soundtrack of Chicago while writing this and lines from the song Cell Block Tango are stuck in my head. "He had it coming, he had it coming. He only had himself to blame." It makes me think of Draco. **

**Thank you, thank you for staying with the story and bearing with me! I appreciate the reviews and alerts. Sorry it took a little time to update, I was trying to finish Christmas shopping. I can't believe Christmas is next weekend! Take care and enjoy!**

**-Steph**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter.**

**A/N: **** I wanted to thank whitedemoness for pointing out to me that Lucius was dead in Chapter 5, and then was miraculously resurrected in later chapters! I am so sorry for that, but I fixed it. Thank you to everyone for the wonderful reviews, alerts, and story suggestions. Appreciate it.**

Hermione and Natalie accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Granger to the airport to see them off. Hermione hugged her parents and promised to visit on holidays and when she would have a break from school. The Grangers also hugged Natalie and let her know how much they enjoyed meeting her and her family.

The girls left the airport in Hermione's new vehicle, a red Jeep Rubicon. Hermione loved it. She was so grateful for her father teaching her to drive on a car with a stick shift. She had to adjust to driving on a different side of the road, but it did not take Hermione long to get the hang of it. It was a warm day in April, so she had removed the top of her Jeep. Hermione and Natalie wore their Ray-Ban Wayfarers and enjoyed the sunshine, along with the wind blowing in their hair.

It was close to noon, so Hermione pulled into a fast food restaurant and they had lunch. They started to talk about Hermione's new house and school, and then the conversation turned to boys.

"Nat, you never got around to telling me why you were dancing with Ron at the Ball," Hermione said slyly.

"Uh, he asked me and I didn't want to be rude," Natalie replied.

"Okay, didn't you say he was fugly? I just thought it was a little weird seeing you dancing," Hermione said and giggled.

"Damn it, you can read me like a book. We have been talking, okay! He really isn't that bad," Natalie said.

"Natalie, why didn't you tell me?" Hermione exclaimed.

"I don't know, like I said we've only been talking. He emails me every day and he's so funny. He'll be staying with us when he attends the tryouts this summer," Natalie said as she took a bite of her hamburger.

"You dirty dog! I can't believe you never told me. This certainly is an interesting development," Hermione answered.

Natalie smiled. "You never know what curve balls life is going to throw your way. I was really glad when you and Ron became friends again. I truly believe he was sorry for being such an asshole to you."

"I'm glad we patched it up too. Ron really came through for me with the Draco situation. Ugh, I even hate to say his name out loud," Hermione said.

Natalie patted her hand. "It'll get easier with each day. I can assure you when school starts you will not be thinking about anything but your classes!"

Hermione smiled at her friend. "Thanks Nat. I'm so glad to have you in my life."

"You're welcome 'Mione. I'm happy you are in my life too," Natalie said.

They finished their lunch and headed back to Natalie's house. It was a quiet evening since Natalie and Lenny had to study for tests. Hermione caught up on email and surfed the web. When she was finished, she decided to find something to read. She had seen some books in the den. While Hermione looked through the books, she saw a copy of American Wizard Weekly. She was curious so she started thumbing through it. She was about to put it down when an article caught her eye. It was a section entitled "International Happenings." There it was in plain sight, Draco's engagement announcement. There was a portrait of Flori with an article underneath it.

**Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy announce the engagement of their son, Draco Lucius Malfoy to Flori Miette Minieux, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cyriaque Minieux. Flori is a graduate of Beauxbatons Academy and is currently employed at Minieux and Minieux as an accountant. Draco is currently attending Hogwarts School of Magic with plans to work with Malfoy Limited upon graduation. The lovely couple will exchange vows on June 23, 2012.**

Hermione rolled her eyes and put the newspaper down. She felt her stomach drop when she first saw the announcement, but thankfully she did not burst into tears. Natalie was right; it was getting easier with each day. Lucius and Narcissa weren't wasting time. Draco would graduate from Hogwarts on June 2nd, then would be married a few weeks later. Hermione almost felt sorry for him, but he should have stood up to his parents. She put the paper down and found a recent novel she had been meaning to read. She went back to her bedroom and read until her eyes started to droop. As she fell asleep, she reminded herself to stay away from wizard publications.

When Earl Dupre found out Hermione was going to be majoring in Interior Design, he decided to take her under his wing. She started to accompany him at meetings and job sites. Earl was impressed with Hermione's input when they went to a restoration site of a plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana. He was excited because neither Lenny nor Natalie had any interest in this part of the job. Natalie would be working with her family's company, but she would be handling the accounting. Lenny was getting a degree in electrical engineering and was probably going to be drafted into playing pro football. Hermione definitely had a flair for interior design that Earl did not see often. He offered her a job at the Baton Rouge branch of Dupre Enterprises and Hermione accepted. She would work full-time until school started in August, then they would work around her class schedule. She also loved that she would be working with Natalie too.

Hermione could not believe it. She was going to be starting her first job and signing papers for her new home the next day. Everything was falling into place.

Draco's life consisted of attending class and barely speaking to anyone except Blaise or Pansy. He could not wait for school to end. He smirked when he thought about the engagement announcement his father had sent to all the newspapers. He had a surprise for Lucius; Draco had no intention of working in the family business. He had applied for the Auror training program and was accepted. This was going to keep him away from Malfoy Manor and what was going to be a sham of a marriage. Draco was starting to rebel.

Flori's family's business had a location in London, so she was able to transfer. Jean-Luc transferred to London too. Draco was envious because Flori was still going to be able to see Jean-Luc while he would probably never see Hermione again. He and Flori had to put in appearances at different wizarding events. As soon as they were done, Flori would leave to be with Jean-Luc. Draco simply did not care anymore. He even liked that Flori was making an ass out of his parents and hers. All he could hope for was that Hermione would wait for him until he and Flori were able to get out of the marriage contract.

Hermione was extremely busy in the next few weeks. She was busy learning her new job and furnishing her new home. Her mind stayed occupied and it wasn't until she prepared for bed every night that she thought about Draco. Ginny had told her that Draco had been accepted in the Auror training program. Hermione was taken aback by this bit of information. She had always assumed that he would work in his family's business. Ginny also mentioned that Harry and Ron had been accepted to the program too and were not thrilled about Draco getting in. Hermione and Ginny hoped the guys did not hex Draco into outer space.

During this time, Delia Dupre was redecorating the family's home near New Orleans. She was buying new furniture for her living and dining rooms, so Hermione reaped the benefits of getting the used furniture. Hermione was amazed at the generosity of the Dupres. The furniture was barely a year old; Delia grew bored and liked to change the overall look of her home often. The only furniture Hermione had to buy was a bedroom set. She found a queen-sized sleigh bed set she immediately fell in love with. With the help of magic, she was able to put everything in place within a few hours. Hermione and Natalie had fun buying dishes, towels, sheets, etc. at Target. Natalie loved Hermione's new home; there was an overall sense of serenity about the place. It definitely had Hermione written all over it.

After an extremely busy week, Hermione finally relaxed in a rocking chair on the front porch of her home. Everything was neatly in place. Her parents had worried about her living on her own, but the truth was Hermione enjoyed being alone. It a warm Saturday afternoon in April, but there was a slight breeze. As Hermione rocked back and forth, she noticed Nell's car coming up the driveway. She wondered what this was about as the car stopped and Nell stepped out.

"Hey Hermione, I hope you don't mind that I dropped in. I wanted to see how you were doing," Nell said pleasantly.

"Hi Ms. Nell, it's nice to see you. I've been busy moving in, but I'm done. Would you like to see what I did with the house?" Hermione asked. She did not mind Nell stopping by. Hermione had liked the woman on the spot, sensing that she was a good person.

Nell oohed and aahed at how Hermione had transformed the interior of the home. She was quite impressed with what the young British woman did with the cottage. Nell had not only stopped by to check on Hermione, but to invite her to dinner at the town's diner. She thought it would be nice if Hermione met some of the town folk. Hermione was touched by the gesture and agreed to meet Nell at 7:00 p.m.

It turned out to be quite an entertaining evening. Hermione met Nell's uncle, Arlen Davenport, the chief of police. She was confused at how Arlen could be Nell's uncle when he was only a few years older than Nell. Nell explained that Arlen was her father's youngest brother; Arlen had been a very late baby. Hermione liked Arlen immediately. He was in his late 50s and was a striking man. He was over 6 feet tall and very fit. He reminded Hermione of the muggle actor Clint Eastwood. Arlen ran a tight ship in St. Francisville; there wasn't much that got past him. He thought Hermione seemed like a sweet gal and let her know he and his deputies would be keeping an eye out on the place. Nell introduced her to a few other people who were eating at the diner. Hermione decided she was going to like St. Francisville. She felt like she had stepped into an episode of "The Andy Griffith Show" and was actually living in Mayberry. It was that idyllic.

While she was speaking to Nell and Arlen, one of Arlen's deputies stepped into the diner. Bud Downing was in his late 20s and was as tall as Arlen. Hermione could not help noticing how good-looking he was. Bud had black hair, green eyes, and a tanned complexion. He was muscular and his uniform fit him perfectly. When he smiled, Hermione wondered if she imagined most of the women in the diner catching their breath. Let's face it, Bud was hot. Arlen called him over and he sat with them at their table.

"Hermione, this is my second-in-command, Bud Downing," Arlen said. Bud looked over at Hermione and recognized her as the cute girl he saw driving around town in the red Jeep.

Bud nodded and smiled at Hermione. "So you are the one who has been going around in the red Jeep. I figured someone new had moved here, I didn't recognize the vehicle."

Hermione smiled. "That's me, the girl in the red Jeep."

They spoke for a few more minutes and then Arlen and Bud's radios started to go off. The men tipped their hats and bid the ladies and everyone else in the diner a good evening. Duty called.

Nell smiled to herself. She loved playing matchmaker and she sensed a few sparks between Bud and Hermione. What a cute couple they would make!

When Bud left the diner, he could not stop thinking about Hermione Granger. What an enchanting young woman. He wondered what was her story and figured Nell would fill him in. He shook his head and laughed to himself. He just knew Nell had been up to something when she asked him to drop by at the diner. Bud was glad he did; he definitely wanted to know Hermione better. There was something about her.

The shit had hit the fan at Malfoy Manor. Draco was home for the weekend and was confronted by Lucius in the family's library.

"Draco, what is this rumor I have been hearing that you were accepted into the Auror Program?"

"Well father, it's not a rumor, it's a fact. I intend on starting the program in July," Draco replied in a cool manner.

Lucius was fuming. "What is the meaning of this? You will do nothing of the sort; your arse will be at Malfoy Industries the day after you graduate from Hogwarts!"

Draco had enough of his father's bullying tactics. "You listen here old man, I am sick of you giving everyone orders! This is my fucking life! You and mother are forcing me to marry someone I barely know because of a stupid tradition. I will fulfill that obligation, but I will be damned if you are going to rule every other aspect of my life!"

Lucius could only stand there with his mouth open. No one had ever talked back to him. He couldn't believe how angry Draco was. Draco also had a look in his eyes that Lucius had never seen before. Defiance.

"We will discuss this another time; you are not becoming an Auror!" Lucius yelled.

Draco gave his father an icy glare. "There is nothing more to discuss. I have made my decision." Draco turned and started walking away from his father. He had enough of Lucius' bullshit.

"I swear I will disinherit you if you continue with this ridiculous career path," Lucius screamed.

"Father, at this point in time I really don't care," Draco said as he walked out of the library.

Lucius was fuming. What was going on? Draco had never defied him like this. That was the gratitude he gets for handing over a company and a beautiful bride to his son? Draco had changed since his last year at Hogwarts. Lucius wondered if it was because of that filthy mudblood Hermione Granger. Draco would thank him one day for getting rid of her.

Hermione was on her way to work Monday morning when she decided to get a cup of coffee to go at the diner. She sat at the counter while she waited and read the local newspaper. She read about a civil war reenactment taking place on the following Saturday. Hermione decided she might have to check that out. She was engrossed in the article and did not notice someone sit beside her.

"Good morning. On your way to work?"

Hermione turned and saw that it was Bud Downing. "Good morning to you. Yes, I'm on my way to work, just grabbing a cup of coffee. How are you?"

"I'm well, thanks. Actually I just finished the graveyard shift. I'm going to eat breakfast and head home for some shuteye," Bud replied.

The waitress brought Hermione her cup of coffee. "Well, I guess I better get going. Enjoy your breakfast."

"Hermione, I wanted to know if I could get your number. Maybe we could do something, I could show you around," Bud said.

Hermione was surprised. This hunk wanted her number? "Sure, that would be fun." Hermione scribbled her cell phone number on a paper napkin. Bud picked it up and smiled. He placed it in his pocket.

"Thank you ma'am. You should be hearing from me soon," Bud answered.

"Okay, I look forward to it. Have a good day," Hermione said and smiled as she walked out of the diner. She didn't notice that Bud was checking out her ass. He admired the way it looked in the fitted knee-length skirt she wore. He watched her leave and turned back to the counter where his breakfast was waiting. He decided he was going to enjoy getting to know Hermione Granger.

Hermione walked in the office she shared with Natalie. Natalie immediately noticed that Hermione could not stop grinning.

"What's up with you, what's with the shit eating grin?" Natalie asked.

"Maybe I am grinning because this superhot guy just asked for my number," Hermione answered and giggled.

"Oh my goodness, who? Anyone I know?" Natalie asked excitedly.

Hermione explained to Natalie about having dinner with Nell and meeting Bud. Natalie listened and was glad for her friend. She noticed that Hermione was mentioning Draco less and less with each passing day. This was what her friend needed to move on.

Bud called Hermione on Wednesday night and said he would pick her up at 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning. She asked why so early and he said that he wanted to surprise her. Hermione decided to chalk this up as another "what the fuck" moment and go with it. She was intrigued by Bud Downing and wanted to get to know him better.

Saturday morning rolled around and Hermione waited for Bud to pick her up. He told her to dress casually, so she wore skinny blue jeans with a fitted peach colored T-shirt and tennis shoes. At about five minutes to 7:00 a.m. a black Chevrolet 4x4 pickup drove up. The truck came to a stop and Bud stepped out. Hermione could not believe her eyes. He was dressed like a Civil War officer, complete with the sword at his side.

"Bud, you didn't tell me we were going to a costume party," Hermione said.

Bud laughed heartily and said, "This is my surprise. I bet you've never been to a Civil War reenactment."

"You'd be right! I'm assuming we'll be attending one and you'll be participating? This is so cool, I read about in the newspaper. I was planning on going before you asked me out," Hermione asked.

"I have been doing this for about 4 years now. Looks like I made a good decision for our first date. Shall we go?" Bud asked as he swept off his hat gallantly.

"I'd be honored sir," Hermione said and giggled.

Bud opened her door and helped her into his truck. He smiled and went around to his side. While they drove to the battlefield site, Bud explained to Hermione about the battle that was going to be reenacted. She had had no idea what Bud had planned and was pleasantly surprised. This was definitely going to be a memorable date.

Amidst the smoke from the cannons firing and the men on horseback everywhere, Hermione watched as the battle unfolded. This was truly fascinating and she loved that Bud was a participant. While she was sitting on the sidelines, a woman attired in a long dress with a hoop skirt and bonnet greeted her. Hermione felt like she had stepped onto the set of "Gone With the Wind."

Shielding her eyes from the sun, Hermione recognized Nell.

"Miss Nell, I do declare! I love your costume, so I guess you're part of the reenactment too," Hermione said.

"Fiddle-dee-dee Miss Hermione. Yes, I drag out the big dress every few months or so. I am glad you were able to watch the battle, did you enjoy it?" Nell asked.

Just as Hermione was about to answer her, Bud rode up on his horse. Nell noticed he was beaming at Hermione.

"Why hello Captain Downing! I was just asking Hermione if she enjoyed the battle." Nell said.

"It was quite exciting, I have never seen anything like it," Hermione replied.

Nell could not help being nosy and asked if Bud and Hermione had come together. Bud told her that he had invited Hermione and they had a good laugh at how shocked Hermione was when he picked her up wearing his uniform. Nell was so happy that Bud had asked Hermione out, they were just too cute together! She took a picture of them with her cell phone. It had come out really well. Hermione asked her to send it to her cell phone so she could show Natalie. Natalie was not going to believe it.

Bud changed out of his uniform and he took Hermione to lunch at a small Italian restaurant. She and Bud talked about everything under the sun. He asked about her job and school. When he asked about why she decided to move to Louisiana, he noticed she hesitated. Hermione went on to tell him about how she had visited LSU's campus and loved it, but Bud knew there was more. His instincts as a police officer told him she was leaving key details out. They finished lunch and Bud brought Hermione home. When they arrived at her house, Hermione was about to step out of the truck, but Bud stopped her. Ever the gentleman, he went around to her side of the truck and opened her door. Hermione was charmed by this.

"Thank you so much, aren't you the gentleman," Hermione said as she took his hand and stepped out of the truck.

"Thank my mama and daddy, they raised me to respect a lady," Bud said and grinned.

"Well they did a fine job! I had a really good time today," Hermione said and meant it.

"I did too. Would it be okay if I called you again?" Bud asked as he looked into her eyes.

Hermione was a little flustered, but managed to say, "I would like that."

"I will see you later then, have a nice evening Miss Hermione Granger," Bud said smiling, revealing the most adorable dimples. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and waved as he walked back to his truck. As he drove away, he thought more about why she had hesitated. He wanted to see her again and hoped to have a relationship with Hermione. Something told him he was going to have to take his time with her; she did not seem like the type of girl to sleep with someone after only a few dates. Yeah, he liked Hermione Granger.

Hermione watched Bud drive away and smiled as she thought about the day. She really did have a nice time. She decided to take a bath and turn in early. As she was about to fall asleep, as she did every night, she allowed herself to think about Draco. No one had to know that she still dreamed of being in his arms and loving him. Hermione was so afraid that she could go on as many dates with different men as she wanted, but in the end it would always be Draco who had her heart.

Forgetting to check her mailbox the day before, Hermione checked it on Sunday morning. She was glad to see a package from her parents. The Grangers had sent her a care package of her favorite brand of tea and other treats. There was also a letter from Hogwarts. When Hermione opened it, it was an invitation to the graduation ceremony. It was going to take place in about 4 weeks. She sighed and pondered what she was going to do. She wanted more than anything to see her friends graduate, but Draco was going to be there. It was too soon to see him and if he approached her, she did not know if she would be able to control her emotions.

Nell had forwarded the picture of her and Bud, so she emailed it to Natalie and Ginny. Natalie promptly sent her a reply:

_OMG, you did not tell me he was that hot! I think the uniform makes him look hotter. Bud is bodacious! Good job, I have taught you well, LOL!_

Hermione laughed. She closed her laptop and started doing a few household chores. It had been a good weekend and she was looking forward to hearing from Bud.

Ginny had brought her laptop with her to the Great Hall. She loved the computer Harry gave her for Christmas. It did not take long for her to learn muggle technology. Ginny liked checking her email and surfing the web while eating breakfast. She opened up Hermione's email and could not believe the picture that came up. Lavender and Pavarti were sitting near her and started to make comments about the photo.

"Oi, who is Hermione with? She doesn't waste time," Lavender said.

"Do you blame her? Look at the guy, wow!" Pavarti replied.

Unbeknownst to the girls, Draco had walked up behind them and stared at the photo of Hermione and Bud. Ginny was telling her friends that Hermione had gone on a date with him. They almost jumped out of their skins when Draco spoke.

"Who is that with Hermione?"

"I don't think that is any of your business Malfoy. Aren't you engaged or did you forget?" Ginny replied.

"I'm sorry Ginny, you're right. I only wanted to know how she was doing," Draco said and walked away. He quickly exited the Great Hall and locked himself in an empty classroom. He punched the walls and threw desks every which way, until he could not go anymore. Did he really expect someone as wonderful as Hermione to stay single? He knew it was a possibility that she would find someone else, but he did not realize it would be so soon. Draco backed up against a wall and slid down until he was sitting. He put his head in his hands and felt so desolate. Was his Hermione going to move on and forget about him?

When Hermione arrived at work Monday morning, she and Natalie discussed attending the Hogwarts graduation ceremony.

"Lenny and I got the invitation last week. I didn't bring it up, because of all what happened. I didn't want to hurt your feelings. You should be there graduating with them," Natalie said.

"Nat, you don't have to walk on eggshells around me. I am a big girl. I really want to go and see my friends graduate, but I know HE will be there," Hermione replied.

"Well, you'll be with Lenny and me. We won't let him near you!" Natalie said in a fierce tone.

"I believe you when you say it like that!" Hermione answered and laughed.

"I think you're getting stronger every day you're here. You should be fine spending a few days around Hogwarts. It'll be nice to see your friends and I know they'll be thrilled that you're there," Natalie stated.

"I guess you're right Nat. It's just that I can't explain the effect Draco has on me; I honestly don't know if I'll be able to resist him. I can't trust myself," Hermione said and sighed.

"Lenny and I will make sure you are never out of our sight. Draco won't be able to get within 100 feet of you, I promise," Natalie replied.

"Thanks Nat, I know you and Lenny won't let me down. Besides, there's also that thing between you and Ron. I cannot wait to see that. Okay, I'll go," Hermione said.

"Yay, we are going to have a blast!" Natalie exclaimed.

The weeks leading up to the graduation went by quickly. In that time, Hermione had dates with Bud every weekend. She was so touched when he sent her flowers at work. Natalie raised her eyebrows when she saw the bouquet and asked if Hermione was going to be giving it up.

"You are so crass, Nat! Bud is being nice," Hermione said laughing.

Hermione looked at the flowers and thought about Bud. She had been seeing a lot of him and he called her almost every night. He was so easygoing and Hermione knew what to expect of him. Bud's kisses were sweet and felt nice, nothing like Draco's. When Draco kissed her, Hermione felt as if she had been set ablaze. She wanted to rip all of her clothes off and jump on him. Being with Draco had been intense and she never knew what to expect. Would she be forever doomed to compare every man to Draco?

It was the Thursday before she was leaving for the graduation ceremony. Hermione was packed and ready to leave on a flight to London Friday morning. She had butterflies in her stomach at the thought of seeing Draco again, but was reassured that she would be okay with Lenny and Natalie at her side. When she returned from work that afternoon, she took a shower and headed to Bud's house. He wanted to cook dinner for her before she went out of town.

It was a very balmy Louisiana evening, so Hermione dressed in khaki shorts and a fitted red button down blouse. She paired the outfit with strappy sandals. She locked up the house and drove to Bud's. Hermione had picked up a gallon of strawberry ice cream; she knew it was Bud's favorite. Bud lived in a bungalow style home in a residential neighborhood. She admired how neat his home was and the lush landscaping. Hermione was going to have to get landscaping tips from him for her home.

Hermione rang the doorbell and heard Bud shout that it was open. She made her way to the back of his house. Bud was on the patio grilling steaks and vegetables. He turned and smiled when she walked up.

"Hey, I'm glad you made it," Bud said as he kissed her gently.

"Thanks for inviting me, it smells delicious. I brought ice cream, I'll put it in the freezer," Hermione said.

Bud watched her walk away. Hermione was so gorgeous and did not seem aware of it. He felt himself growing hard as he looked at her tanned, toned legs in her shorts. He was going to have to tame those thoughts, but they were becoming more frequent.

Hermione returned to the patio and sat in an Adirondack chair. She watched Bud man the grill and admired his physique. He was wearing cargo shorts and a faded T-shirt from the police academy, he really was handsome. Bud noticed her looking at him and gave her his dazzling smile.

When the food was ready, Bud and Hermione brought it inside. Hermione told him about the graduation while they ate. She didn't like that she had to lie about the name of the school and where it was located, but how was she going to explain about witches and wizards to Bud? He would have thought she was completely nuts.

They had finished eating and were talking quietly. Bud had his stereo set on a country music station and the volume was low. Suddenly Bud got up when a certain song came on and he turned up the volume. He put his hand out to Hermione.

"I love this song; it makes me think of you. Dance with me," Bud said.

"Right here?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, we have plenty of room," Bud said as he led her to the living room.

Hermione knew the song well. "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum was one of her favorite songs. She was touched when Bud said the song reminded him of her.

Bud pulled her close and they moved slowly. Hermione rested her head on his chest and breathed in his woodsy cologne. If only she could let herself fall for Bud, life would be so much easier. He was safe and uncomplicated. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands were resting on her waist. Hermione looked up at him and as she did, he cupped her face and brought his lips to her. Bud kissed her deeply; Hermione was a little shocked. This kiss was different from his other ones. It was very passionate. She wasn't stupid; she knew Bud was testing the waters to take it to the next level. Hermione kissed him back. He maneuvered them to his couch and sat down so she was in his lap. She could feel his erection on her buttocks. They kissed more and next thing Hermione knew, she was beneath Bud. He sat up and removed his T-shirt, revealing his rock hard torso and dark chest hair. He came back down and started to kiss her neck. His hands moved to her blouse and started to undo the buttons. Bud pulled Hermione to him and let her blouse slide to the floor. She was wearing a flesh-colored push up bra. Bud kissed the part of her breasts that were exposed. He looked at Hermione and she noticed his eyes had darkened. He really wanted her. Tears started to form in her eyes; she did not know if she could go through with this. Draco's face flashed in her mind. She needed to stop this.

"Bud, I better get back home. I have to leave on an early flight," Hermione said as she reached for her blouse on the floor.

Bud had a look of hurt and disbelief. He noticed the tears in her eyes and felt terrible. "Hermione, did I do something wrong? I'm sorry; I didn't mean to push you."

Hermione hated herself for letting this happen. It was killing her to see she had upset Bud. He was such an awesome guy and deserved someone better than her.

"You didn't push me Bud. I think you are the kindest, most decent man I have ever met. I just need more time."

Bud was disappointed; he was really hoping she would let him love her tonight. He tenderly brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "I'll wait for you Hermione. I think you're special; I really like spending time with you. These past few weeks have been great. I hope I didn't ruin what we had."

Hermione hugged him. "Bud, you didn't ruin anything. I have enjoyed these last few weeks too. Thank you for being so understanding."

He pulled his T-shirt back on and they went to the door. Hermione kissed him lightly on the lips. Bud walked her to her jeep and she climbed in. She started it up and lowered her window. He leaned on the door and kissed her again.

"I'll be back on Tuesday," Hermione said.

"Okay, you have a safe trip. We can take it slow Hermione," Bud replied.

Hermione gave him a small smile. "I'd like that. I'll see you when I get back."

Bud watched her leave and sighed. It had to be that someone had hurt her and she could not move on. That was probably why she had moved to Louisiana. He wondered if she was going to see that someone when she went back home this weekend.

Draco was lying awake in his bed at about 4 a.m. Friday morning. He had a dreadful dream about Hermione being with another man. It woke him up and he couldn't get back to sleep. He had overheard the Weasel and Ginny saying the day before that Hermione was attending the graduation ceremony. Draco was excited about this and hoped he would be able to see her. He longed to see her face and maybe Merlin willing, hold her in his arms.

Hermione made it back home and prepared for bed. She tossed and turned for about 20 minutes, and then finally fell asleep. She could not stop thinking about what almost happened with Bud. What was wrong with her? Here was this wonderful guy who wanted to be with her and all she could think about was Draco.

A shuttle from the airline picked Hermione up from home. As she left her home, she made sure everything was secured. Bud had promised to watch her place while she was away. When she arrived at the airport, Lenny and Natalie were already there. It was an uneventful flight; Lenny slept while Hermione and Natalie watched the inflight movie. When they arrived in London, a taxi took them near Diagon Alley. From Diagon Alley, they took a floo network to the hotel they were staying at in Hogsmeade.

The three friends were sharing a suite with three bedrooms. They unpacked and when they were done, they decided to go to the hotel's restaurant for dinner and a few drinks.

"What time should we be at Hogwarts tomorrow?" Natalie asked.

"I know the ceremony starts at 10:00 a.m., so we better get there at 8:00 a.m. to get a good seat. The hall will fill up quickly, it is a huge event," Hermione replied.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you! Ron is coming back with us. The American All-Stars tryouts start next Wednesday," Natalie said.

"That's great! I wondered when the tryouts were going to take place. I know Ron is excited," Hermione answered.

"I think Ron has a pretty good shot at getting on the team. He is really good," Lenny remarked.

While they were talking, Hermione noticed Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy enter the restaurant. They were accompanied by Flori. Of course they would be there for Draco's graduation. Natalie saw them too.

"'Ugh, there goes the evening. Look who just came in. We can go if you are uncomfortable 'Mione," Natalie said.

"No Nat, I'm not going to let those nasty people run me off. I was here first and I am enjoying my evening with you and Lenny. Just ignore them," Hermione replied.

"I take it the young woman with them is Draco's fiancée," Natalie said.

"You're correct, the one and only Flori Minieux," Hermione answered.

"You have to admit that she is a beautiful girl, but man she looks so damn cold," Lenny said as he looked at Flori.

"I think she looks bored out of her mind," Natalie said and laughed.

The evening was pure torture for Flori. It was such utter bullshit that she had to hang out with the Malfoys this weekend for Draco's graduation. She knew she had to keep up appearances, but Lucius and Narcissa got on her nerves. They were so pretentious and fake. Flori would only smile and go along with whatever they said. Inside she was seething. She wondered how Lucius would feel about her muggle boyfriend. Flori took a quick look around the restaurant and saw Hermione. She was able to get a good look at the young woman Draco loved and noticed how truly beautiful she was, especially when she laughed at something her friends said. It broke Flori's heart that Draco was not able to have an arrangement with Hermione like she had with Jean-Luc. She hoped Hermione would wait for Draco. Flori was working on something. No one except Jean-Luc knew that she had been looking over the marriage contract with a very detailed eye. There had to be some sort of loophole in all that fine print. There was no way in hell she could keep up this farce for 5 years.

Hermione and her friends arrived at Hogwarts at 8:00 a.m. and were glad that they were early. Hordes of family and friends of Hogwarts graduates had the same idea and were claiming the best seats. They quickly grabbed seats in the middle of the hall which gave them an excellent view of the stage. Hermione watched the people filing in and saw some familiar faces. She grimaced when she saw Lucius stroll in as if he owned the place, with Narcissa and Flori right behind him. Hermione observed Flori and could not help thinking that the girl looked uncomfortable, like Hogwarts was the last place she wanted to be. Spending time with Lucius and Narcissa was probably not a cake walk either, Hermione thought to herself.

The graduates started coming in to be seated at around 10:00 a.m. Hermione felt a small pang of regret when she saw her friends in their graduation robes. By all rights she should have been up there with them, but she did not regret her decision. As she smiled and waved to her friends, she saw him. Draco was staring right at her.

Draco could not believe Hermione was really there. She looked even more beautiful if that was possible. Hermione was wearing a strapless black lace Juicy Couture dress with silver high heels. She had left her hair down and when Draco noticed her, she was sitting sideways in her chair talking to her American friends. When she noticed Draco, she immediately looked away. Draco did not take his eyes off of her. He didn't care who saw.

Lucius noticed his son was staring at something. He turned his head in the direction of where Draco was staring and that is when he saw her. The mudblood. Damn it to hell, Draco had better get over his little obsession with the dirty blooded muggle witch. He was going to be a married man in a few weeks.

The ceremony began promptly at 10:30 a.m. It was wonderful. Neville Longbottom, of all people, was the outstanding graduate. Hermione was so happy for him. She was glad when it ended; Draco stared at her the entire time and she was uncomfortable. She was glad when she and her friends met up with Ginny, Harry, and Ron afterwards. They congratulated the three graduates and were taking pictures outside of the hall. Paparazzi from wizarding publications were there following Draco and Flori. Hermione watched as the couple posed for pictures and noted that Draco barely smiled for the cameras. Flori had the same grin plastered on her face for every flash that went off. She was glad when she was able to leave with her friends for a reception at The Burrow. Hermione did it; she was able to get through the graduation without losing herself to Draco.

Draco looked around and didn't see Hermione. Damn cameras flashing in his face! What the hell was so fascinating about him getting married? He figured his father was the one who tipped off the paparazzi about his graduation. Lucius was such an attention whore. Draco left Hogwarts and had a quiet lunch in Hogsmeade with his parents and Flori. His parents excused themselves and left him with Flori. They wanted to give the young couple time to get to know each other a bit more before the wedding.

Draco watched his parents walk away and rolled his eyes at Flori. "What a fiasco this has been. I am sorry you are being forced to do this," Draco said to Flori.

Flori patted his hand. "It's okay Draco, I was glad to see you graduate. I could've done without hanging out with Lucius and Narcissa for the whole weekend, but I am just playing along you know."

"Hermione really looked gorgeous today. I miss her so much Flori," Draco said softly.

"I saw her too, she is really beautiful. You know she is staying here with those American friends of hers," Flori said.

"I would love to be able to see her one more time, but I think her friends are shielding her from me. You should have seen the dirty looks the American bloke and his sister were giving me," Draco said.

"I'm sorry Draco, but I guess her friends are very protective of her. You broke her heart and I feel like I am part of it too because of this stupid arrangement. I think I am going to go up to my room. It has been a long day," Flori replied.

"Goodnight Flori, thanks for coming to my graduation. I think I am going to stay down here and have a few drinks," Draco said.

Flori gave him a small smile and patted him on the back as she stood up to leave. She was glad she only had to spend one more night with the Malfoys. She intended on checking out early the next morning and getting back to London and Jean-Luc.

The reception for the graduates was in full swing at The Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had put out an amazing spread of food. Hermione fixed herself a plate and enjoyed it. She had missed Mrs. Weasley's cooking. Mr. Weasley had set up a tent with tables, similar to the one Bill and Fleur had for their wedding. Hermione was alone at a table but she didn't mind. She was enjoying watching her friends laughing and dancing. She still could not get over Natalie and Ron. Nat looked so happy as Ron was twirling her around. Lenny was dancing with one of Fleur's sisters. The crowd consisted of family and friends of the Weasleys, so it was safe to say that there was a fair amount of people there. Mrs. Weasley plopped down next to Hermione.

"Whew, what a day! Are you having a good time 'Mione?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Sure, it's a great party. Your food is amazing as usual," Hermione answered.

"Why aren't you on that dance floor?" Mrs. Weasley said as she pushed a strand of hair away from Hermione's face.

"I'm enjoying the view from here, but I am sure they will drag me up there any moment now," Hermione said and smiled. Sure enough as soon as the words came out of her mouth, Lenny came to the table and grabbed her hand.

"I was right!" Hermione told Mrs. Weasley as Lenny led her to the dance floor.

Mrs. Weasley laughed and watched the young couple. She and Mr. Weasley had been so worried about Hermione since that arranged marriage mess with Draco Malfoy. She knew Hermione was a strong person, but she could see there was sadness in the young woman's eyes.

The party finally winded down at about 10:00 p.m. It had been a fantastic day and evening. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were so proud that their two youngest children had graduated from Hogwarts. It made them a little sad to see that their home was soon going to be empty. Ginny was going to start school in the fall and was probably going to marry Harry. Ron was getting a chance to be part of a pro Quidditch team. They were proud of their children.

Ron left with Hermione, Natalie, and Lenny. Harry and Ginny watched them as they took the floo network back to the hotel in Hogsmeade. Ginny had tears in her eyes because there a huge part of their lives was over. It was time to be adults and decide what to do with their lives. She knew that she and her friends were going to keep in touch, but it already felt different. Harry hugged Ginny and kissed her on the top of the head. He knew exactly how she was feeling.

Hermione and her friends made it back to the hotel, giggling and stumbling. There had been a good bit of alcohol flowing at the party. Mrs. Weasley usually disapproved of drinking, but looked the other way since it was a special day. The group staggered into the elevator to go up to the suite. Hermione got out as the doors were closing.

"Where the hell do you tink you going?" Natalie asked slurring.

"I'm going get a Coke with a huge glass of ice, my mouth is dry bitch," Hermione answered and laughed.

Natalie flipped Hermione the bird as the elevator doors closed. Hermione wasn't nearly as intoxicated as Natalie and the guys, she was just tipsy. She made her way to the bar and ordered a Coke. While she waited, she felt that someone was looking at her. It was Draco sitting by himself having a drink.

Draco couldn't believe it when she walked in. It had to be fate. He decided to take a chance and see if she would talk to him. He left his table and walked up to the bar and stood beside her.

"Hermione, please don't make me go away. I only want to talk," Draco said.

Hermione looked at him and seeing that they were in a room with a few people, she decided to give him a chance. "Fine Draco, talk."

"Let's move to my table," Draco said. They walked over to his table and Hermione sat facing him.

"Why did you leave? I thought everything was fine," Draco said when they were seated.

"Draco, I did what I thought was best. Didn't you get my letter?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah I got your letter, but I am still pissed. I couldn't believe you were gone," Draco said angrily.

"Look, I am going to go back to my room. Draco, we can't do this. I can't bear to see you anymore," Hermione said as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Draco came to her side of the table and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry babe, please don't cry. I love you so much. I need you 'Mione."

As soon as Hermione felt his arms around her, she couldn't help herself. She let him embrace her and she rested her head on his sturdy shoulder as she cried. All of a sudden, there was a whoosh and she was in Draco's bedroom at Malfoy Manor.

Hermione could not believe she let her guard down, damn alcohol! Where did Draco get off on bringing her here! Shit, she didn't have her wand with her. How could she be so stupid?

"Draco, take me back right now!" Hermione shrieked.

"No, not until we talk. I wanted us to be alone," Draco said as his eyes darkened with desire and he kissed her.

Even though she was going to hate herself in the morning, Hermione responded to his kiss. She missed him so much. Draco pushed her towards the bed and pressed her down on it. He kissed away her tears as she wound her hands in his soft hair.

"Hermione, I love you so much. Can we have one more night together before I am sentenced to a life of misery," Draco asked.

Hermione against her better judgment nodded. "I love you too Draco."

Draco kissed her and removed her dress. Hermione helped him get out of his clothes. No other man was ever going to make her feel like Draco. He pulled her up to him and buried his head in her breasts. He wanted to savor every moment with her and burn into his memory every part of her. Memories were all he was going to have once he was married. Hermione moaned as Draco moved his hands to her slit and inserted two fingers. He continued kissing her deeply and pushing his fingers into her. She was breathing heavily when he stopped and removed his fingers. He looked at her as he licked his fingers clean, then kissed her letting her taste her own juices. Draco gasped when Hermione grabbed his penis and pushed it to her opening. Draco gave her what she wanted and slid into her. They moved together and Hermione felt her orgasm building. When she came, she felt it all the way to her toes. Draco grabbed onto the headboard of his bed and pounded into her. He came and uttered a strangled cry as he spilled his seed into her. He stayed on top of Hermione and smiled at her. She kissed him and brushed away his hair that had fallen in his face. Draco moved off of her and lay beside her. He pulled her to him so that her head was resting on his chest. They stayed this way for about half an hour, then Hermione decided she really needed to get back.

"Draco I need to get back before my friends realize I am nowhere to be found," Hermione said.

"Okay love. We'll dress and I will get you back. I love you," Draco said and looked into her eyes.

"I love you Draco, but we can't let this happen again," Hermione said.

Draco only nodded and looked at her sadly as they got dressed. This was going to be the last time he would see her. He pulled Hermione to him and held her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him, then she broke away from his embrace.

"We really need to get back," Hermione said. They apparated back to the hotel and Hermione went to the elevator to get back to her room. As the doors closed, the last thing she saw was Draco smiling sadly and giving her a small wave. This memory would stay etched in her mind for a long time.

Hermione made it back to the suite and tried to be as quiet as possible. Luck was with her, it looked like everyone was asleep. She entered her room and switched on the light. She jumped when she realized Natalie was in her room waiting for her.

"And just where have you been, Hermione Granger," Natalie asked.

Hermione sighed, how the hell she was going to explain this.

**I just had to have Hermione and Draco get one last romp in the sack before his wedding. They just can't keep their hands off each other. This story has taken on a life of its own. As I type, I am amazed to see where it takes me. **

**Again, thank you so much for the wonderful reviews and alerts. Enjoy, I hope to update soon. Bear with me!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: ****You all should know by now that I do not own anything related to Harry Potter! If I did it would be a very Merry Christmas indeed!**

"Nat, why are you in my room? You scared the crap out of me," Hermione exclaimed.

"I've been looking for you for the past hour. You were with him weren't you," Natalie asked.

"I had no idea Draco was in the bar, I swear!" Hermione replied.

"I knew one of us should have gone with you. Where were you? In his room?" Natalie asked.

"We apparated to his bedroom at Malfoy Manor. I told him that this was the last time. I couldn't help myself; he looked so sad. Oh Nat, I love him so much," Hermione replied and had tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry that I scared you 'Mione, but we were so worried. You were nowhere to be found. Please don't cry," Natalie said as she hugged her friend.

"I'm sorry too Nat. That was very irresponsible of me. I wasn't thinking clearly," Hermione said.

"Are you going to be okay? I can stay with you," Natalie said.

"I'm fine Nat. I have so many thoughts swirling in my mind. I'll be okay by myself. Go tend to Ron," Hermione answered.

"Believe me I will," Natalie said with a devilish gleam in her eye.

"What is going on with you two?" Hermione asked.

'I don't know 'Mione. I can't explain why I am so attracted to him. Ron just makes me happy," Natalie said with a dreamy smile.

"I'm genuinely glad for you Nat. It's just that you and Ron are the last two people I would ever have thought of as a couple!" Hermione said.

"Stranger things have happened 'Mione. I recall a time when Draco was your nemesis! Now you two fuck like rabbits when you're within a certain radius of each other," Natalie said sarcastically and laughed.

Hermione threw a pillow at her. "You are insufferable, go! I will see you and your lover in the morning."

Natalie walked out of the room and before she left, she turned and stuck her tongue out at Hermione. Hermione laughed and threw another pillow towards her, but she left and shut the door before the pillow could make contact. She laughed to herself and prepared for bed. What a night. As usual she tossed and turned, thinking about Draco before she finally slept.

The four friends checked out of the hotel Sunday morning. They took a floo network back to Diagon Alley. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were waiting and brought them back to their house. They were delighted to have Hermione's friends stay with them. That afternoon they went to a park near Hermione's home and watched Lenny teach Ron about American football. Ron caught on quickly. He and Lenny had removed their shirts and were only wearing cargo shorts. Hermione was a little shocked at how Ron's biceps had grown and his chest had broadened. Natalie watched him with a sappy smile on her face. Just about every woman in the park that afternoon checked Lenny and Ron out. The guys were totally hot.

That evening, Sebastian and Philip invited them over for dinner at their house. After dinner, Philip, Lenny, and Ron went to the den to watch a Quidditch game. Sebastian stayed with Hermione and Natalie in the kitchen and they had "girl talk."

"You big slut! I can't believe you did it with Draco again! What about Bud the American hunk?" Sebastian asked.

"Bud is a nice guy, but not for me. I know it was wrong to be with Draco, but I can't control myself. He only has to look at me and I melt! I hate that I can't resist him," Hermione said and seemed to be on the verge of tears, again.

Sebastian patted her on the back. "It's okay and I'm sorry I called you a big slut. It will take some time to get over Draco. You need to get back to the States and concentrate on school and your life there."

Natalie nodded as she looked from Hermione and Sebastian. "Sebastian's right 'Mione. I think it will be good for you to be back in Louisiana. If you stay here Draco will not leave you alone."

Hermione sighed. Why did her life have to be so complicated? "Hand me the tequila, I need another shot."

"That's my girl!" Sebastian said as he handed her the bottle.

Hermione and Natalie were so drunk when they left from Sebastian and Philip's home. Lenny and Ron had to carry them back to Hermione's parents' house. Ron couldn't believe the state Hermione was in. He'd never seen her so intoxicated. Malfoy had really done a number on his friend. Natalie had told him what happened the night before. He hoped 'Mione could work through this and move on. He and Lenny brought the girls to Hermione's bedroom and placed them in the bed.

Morning arrived and the girls woke up with massive hangovers. Thankfully Natalie was prepared and had a few bottles of hangover potion in her bag. They ate a quick breakfast with Mr. and Mrs. Granger and then gathered their luggage. Hermione's parents brought the four friends to the airport. They said their goodbyes and Hermione promised to visit again soon. Hopefully the next time Hermione was home, she could avoid Draco.

Draco sat in his room at Malfoy Manor. He and his parents had returned from Hogsmeade Sunday morning. He stood up, walked over to his bed, and picked up a pillow. He pressed his face into the pillow; he could still smell apples and peppermint, Hermione's scent. Would he ever have her in his arms again? He imagined that she was heading back to her new life at the moment. A house elf appeared and said that Narcissa requested his presence in the library. Draco rolled his eyes as he made his way downstairs. He knew his mother wanted to discuss wedding preparations. It was going to be a long day.

The jet landed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at 10:00 p.m. Monday night. The airport shuttle brought Hermione back to St. Francisville, while Ron went with Lenny and Natalie to their home near LSU's campus. Hermione returned to her home and as she was unlocking the door, she noticed a vehicle coming up her driveway. She closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh as she recognized the police cruiser. It had to be Bud. Hermione did not want to have to deal with him. The cruiser came to a stop and to Hermione's relief, it was Arlen.

"Arlen, I'm surprised to see you. I'm just getting back," Hermione said.

"I noticed the shuttle service van passing through and figured it was you. Did you have a good trip?" Arlen asked.

"Yes, it was good seeing my family and friends," Hermione replied.

"Well okay gal, I won't keep you. It's late and I'll let you get settled in. Just making sure you got in safely," Arlen said and smiled.

"Thank you Arlen, I appreciate it. Have a good evening," Hermione answered.

"You have a good evening too. Talk to you later," Arlen said as he got back into his cruiser.

Hermione entered her home and was greeted by silence which suited her fine. She unpacked and put away her belongings. When she was done, she took a quick shower and went straight to bed. As usual, she thought about Draco. Hermione shivered as she recalled how distraught he looked when she last saw him. It was all for the best, they were moving in completely different directions. It was going to take time to get over him, but she would eventually. Would she?

Work beckoned on Tuesday morning, but Hermione was ready. She decided to stop at the town diner for a cup of coffee to go again. She had a coffee maker at home, but the diner's tasted so much better. While she waited at the counter, Bud walked in and sat beside her.

"Good morning beautiful, I'm glad you made it back," Bud said as he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning to you too. Yeah, I made it in late last night," Hermione replied and blushed a little at his compliment.

"Would you like to grab some dinner tonight? I'm working the day shift and I'm off by 5:30 p.m.," Bud said.

"We can do that. How about we meet here at about 7:00 p.m.?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, that sounds good. Looks like your coffee is ready. I'll see you tonight, have a good day," Bud replied.

"Goodbye, you have a good day too," Hermione said as she smiled and walked out. Bud watched her walk out with a look of longing on his face. He admired her tight little body in cream colored capris with a lime green sleeveless eyelet blouse. Bud was hoping to have another make out session with her that might lead them to the bedroom, but he sensed something was different with Hermione since she returned. He wondered it that "something" had to do with why she left London.

Work was uneventful for Hermione and she was glad. She and Natalie caught up on the filing and chatted. Natalie was all about Ronald Weasley. Hermione still could not get over Natalie falling for Ron. Talk about opposites, but she supposed people said the same thing about her and Draco when they were dating. Draco-why did he always invade her thoughts.

Hermione let off from work and returned home to get ready to meet Bud. Once there, she turned on the television and relaxed for a few minutes. Hermione took a shower and dressed for her date with Bud. She decided to wear khaki shorts that almost reached her knees and a black T-shirt from Sebastian's salon. She pulled her hair in a high ponytail and slipped her feet into black flip-flops. Hermione looked in the mirror in her hallway before leaving and sighed.

"Here goes nothing," she thought.

She arrived at the diner. Bud was already there and was seated in a booth. Hermione slid into the other side of the booth so she would be facing him. Bud had a disappointed look on his face when she did that. He liked when she sat next to him.

"Hey, glad you are here, but why are you sitting so far away?" Bud asked softly.

"I just thought it would be better for us to talk," Hermione replied.

"Okay. Is there something you want to talk about?" Bud asked.

"Bud, I feel awful, but I have to do this. I'm just going to spit it out. I'm in love with someone else and he's engaged to be married. When I went home this past weekend, I slept with him," Hermione said nervously.

Bud did not say anything for a few minutes and only stared at her. Finally he spoke.

"So this fellow you are in love with is marrying someone else yet you slept with him this past weekend? That's messed up Hermione. What about his fiancée? I didn't think you were that kind of girl."

"I'm not that kind of girl Bud. I don't appreciate you passing judgment on me. You don't understand the situation. He doesn't love the girl he's marrying, it's an arranged marriage. I don't even know why I am trying to explain this to you, since you obviously think I'm a slut. I think I'll go," Hermione said in a low voice.

As Hermione scooted out of the booth to leave, Bud stopped her. He hadn't meant to upset her.

"Hermione, wait. I'm sorry. I guess I'm upset that you are in love with someone else. I was hoping we could give this a shot, but looks like I'm too late. I don't think you're a slut, don't ever say that! You are one of the most beautiful and kindest women I've ever met," Bud said.

"I'm sorry too Bud. You deserve to be with someone who doesn't have all of my emotional baggage! Friends?" Hermione asked.

"You bet we can be friends. I can accept that," Bud replied and smiled.

Hermione got back into the booth and they ordered dinner. They talked about work and what had been happening in town. She was relieved that he didn't keep questioning her relationship with Draco. She felt an incredible weight had been lifted off of her shoulders by telling Bud the truth. It wasn't fair to lead him on. Hermione felt she did the right thing by breaking it off.

Draco was so aggravated. He had to get fitted for groom's robes and wanted to get the hell out of Madam Malkin's, but the tailor was an old wizard who moved slowly. Blaise was with him and was snickering at how pissed off Draco looked. He had asked Blaise to be his best man and Blaise agreed. When the older man finally finished, Draco and Blaise grabbed lunch at The Leaky Cauldron.

"The big day is only a week away mate," Blaise stated.

"Don't remind me. My life is so fucked. The only thing I have to look forward to is starting the Auror training program," Draco replied.

"Lucius is letting you go through with it? I thought you were going to be at Malfoy Industries," Blaise said.

"Lucius and I discussed this. I told him I'd do the arranged marriage, but that is it! He isn't going to control any other aspect of my life. I lost my one chance at true love; he isn't going to ruin anything else," Draco answered.

"Damn Dray, you laid it on the line! Good for you. I guess you saw Hermione at the graduation. Did you get a chance to talk to her?" Blaise asked.

"You could say that," Draco said with a smirk.

"Dude, I can't believe you were with her! How did that happen?" Blaise asked incredulously.

Draco told him about seeing Hermione in the hotel and taking a chance by bringing her back to Malfoy Manor. Draco felt a small pit forming in his stomach as he thought about that night. He missed Hermione so much and thought about her all the time. He could not wait to get the wedding over with and start his Auror training. Maybe once he was busy with that, he wouldn't have so much time to think about what he lost with Hermione.

Ron's Quidditch tryouts lasted for three days and were very rigorous. Hermione joined her friends on Sunday afternoon at the American All Stars stadium in Baton Rouge. The coach was announcing the new team members. Hermione joined Natalie and her parents in the stadium where they sat on bleachers. Lenny was with the rest of the team on the field. Ron and the other hopefuls were seated on a bench. The coach started calling out the names of who made the team, congratulating the men and handing them their uniforms. Natalie gripped Hermione's hand and they crossed their fingers as they waited for Ron's name to be called. The coach had one more uniform in his hand and shouted out,

"And last but definitely not least, our newest Keeper, Ronald Weasley!"

Natalie, her parents, and Hermione ran down to the field to congratulate Ron. Hermione was so excited for him. She knew once his contract was negotiated, he was going to be paid quite well. Nat hugged Ron tightly and he grabbed her around the waist and swung her around. Ron had a look of such happiness and a little bit of disbelief.

"Ron, this is amazing! I am so happy for you!" Hermione exclaimed.

That evening, Mr. and Mrs. Dupre took their children and Ron and Hermione out for dinner. They smiled at each other as they watched Natalie interact with Ron. Oh yeah, the love bug had finally bitten their little girl. Mrs. Dupre felt that Natalie had finally found her match. She and Mr. Dupre had hoped Lenny and Hermione would have gotten together, but they seemed better as friends. They along with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley felt terrible about what Hermione had gone through with the Malfoys. Hopefully Hermione would be able to get past this.

Saturday June 23rd arrived, Draco's wedding day. The wedding was taking place at 2:00 p.m. When Draco woke up that morning, he noticed the sky was gray and overcast. He laughed to himself; the weather was perfect for the way he was feeling. It was being held at Malfoy Manor and there were huge white tents set up on the grounds. Lucius and Narcissa had invited everyone who was someone in their world. Even witches and wizards who detested the Malfoys were excited to receive an invitation. It promised to be the social event of the season.

Draco had started listening to muggle music because it reminded him of Hermione and it made him feel closer to her. He enjoyed it and found it to be more entertaining than the music in the wizarding world. He closed his eyes as "It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars came on. This song reminded him so much of his love. As he listened, the clouds opened up and the rain started pouring down onto Malfoy Manor.

If you ever leave me, baby,

Leave some morphine at my door

Cause it would take a whole lot of medication

To realize what we used to have,

We don't have it anymore.

There's no religion that could save me

No matter how long my knees are on the floor, oh

So keep in mind all the sacrifices I'm making

To keep you by my side

And keep you from walking out the door.

Cause there'll be no sunlight

if I lose you, baby

There'll be no clear skies

if I lose you, baby

Just like the clouds,

my eyes will do the same if you walk away

Everyday, it will rain, rain rain-"It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars

Why was he so afraid to stand up to his father? Draco realized that it was too late now. He had to go through with this wedding. He reluctantly put on his groom's robe and went downstairs to meet the rest of the wedding party. Narcissa was in a tizzy because of the weather, but it looked like the rain had stopped. Draco was getting married. Narcissa looked at her son and noticed how unhappy he seemed. Her heart broke for him, but she could not intervene on his behalf. She did not want to face Lucius' wrath.

Flori stepped into the ostentatious wedding gown Narcissa had helped pick out. She did not care what kind of dress she was going to wear, but as she looked in the mirror, she realized she should have said something. Flori had to laugh at herself. The dress was chiffon and buttercup yellow with white lace flower appliques, and a huge poufy tea-length skirt. The matching platform pumps looked like something Minnie Mouse would wear. Flori thought she resembled a slice of lemon meringue pie. The dress was truly one of the most hideous things she had ever seen. Thank Merlin she had a sense of humor. Weddings in the wizarding world did not follow the tradition of a bride wearing a white dress. Flori thought about her scrapbook of wedding dresses from French designers. Since she was a little girl, she imagined wearing one of their creations for her special day. If she could figure out how to get out of this stupid contract, she would definitely be wearing the dress of her dreams when she marries Jean-Luc.

It was time. Draco waited at the makeshift altar in the largest tent. Blaise was at his side as they watched Flori come down the aisle. Draco had to pinch himself to keep from laughing when he saw her dress. Narcissa had to have picked it out. He looked over at Flori's parents and they sat there with contented smiles on their faces. It was just one big business deal with Malfoy Industries to them. Flori gave him a dirty look as she stood beside him and quickly replaced it with a fake smile before anyone else noticed. The ceremony was quick and when it was over, Draco gave Flori a chaste kiss on the lips. The wedding guests were not surprised at this; that was how most pureblooded weddings were. The bride and groom would get to know each other eventually and maybe fall in love if they were lucky.

Draco and Flori did what was required of them. They danced the obligatory dances and greeted the guests. It finally ended at 6:00 p.m. Flori could not wait to get out of that horrid dress. As soon as she made it up to her room, she changed into a simple cerulean sheath dress with kitten heel sandals to match. This was much more her style. Draco had changed into a more casual robe but had a T-shirt and jeans with tennis shoes underneath. The newlyweds said goodbye to their parents and apparated to their honeymoon destination. They went to Flori's parents' villa in Cannes, France. Draco appreciated the beauty of the French Riviera; it was too bad he was there with someone he had absolutely nothing in common with. As soon as they arrived, Flori left for the hotel where Jean-Luc was staying. Draco went to his bedroom and read a novel he had picked up earlier. He fell asleep with his clothes on and dreamt of Hermione. How he wished that she was there with him.

Hermione spent the day of Draco's wedding helping Ron and Natalie furnish Ron's new apartment. Ron could not believe the turn of events in his life. He had to notify the Ministry that he would not be able to participate in the Auror training program. The Ministry was very understanding and let him know that a spot was always open should he decide to become an Auror. He watched as Natalie and Hermione ran around the apartment putting everything into place. He was still ashamed of the way he had treated Hermione the year before. Ron knew he was fortunate to have such an understanding friend. If it wasn't for her, he would've never met Lenny or Natalie.

Satisfied that everything was in place in Ron's apartment, Hermione decided to return to St. Francisville. Natalie and Ron were so happy together. She was glad for them, but still felt a slight pang because she wished she and Draco could have had a relationship like theirs. It hit her that Draco was married now. Hermione needed to concentrate on making a new life here and stop thinking about what could have been.

Draco and Flori spent a week in Cannes and returned to Malfoy Manor the following weekend. While vacationing they made sure to appear together in public at certain times, for the wizard paparazzi were following them most of the "honeymoon." Flori would sneak off to meet Jean-Luc at night and then return in the morning. Upon returning, Lucius and Narcissa presented the couple with keys to a house in London, which was in the vicinity of their workplaces. The newlyweds apparated to their new home. All of their belongings had been brought to the house during the week and it was fully furnished. Flori thought that the décor was a bit too dark for her taste, but she held her tongue. She had no intention of spending much time there. Draco was glad that their parents were staying out of their way. He and Flori must be putting on a good act while they were in public; everyone around them seemed to buy their act that they were happy newlyweds. Draco thought he and Flori should receive muggle movie actor awards for the roles they were playing!

Draco started his Auror training the following Monday. He was joined by Harry Potter, but noticed that the Weasel was nowhere to be found. Did the git chicken out? He couldn't believe it when he overheard Potter telling one of the trainers that the Weasel actually made the cut for the American quidditch team. Way to go Weasel. He admitted to himself he was envious of Ron's accomplishment. Making it to the level of a professional quidditch team was no small feat. He really needed to stop calling Ron the Weasel. It was really immature of him and name calling was something Lucius would resort to. He did not want to be like his father. Draco decided on that day he would prove to himself and everyone around him that he was a better man than his narrow minded father.

Hermione was so excited. Philip and Sebastian were coming to Louisiana to visit her the first week of August! She was able to take time off from work and would be able to spend the week with them. Sebastian said that he and Philip were ready for a vacation and couldn't wait to see Louisiana. Hermione counted down the days until her friends arrived.

The first week of August arrived and Hermione picked Philip and Sebastian up at the airport. They both were wearing huge grins when they saw Hermione waiting for them. It was going to be nice to experience a change of scenery and spend time with one of their dearest friends.

Hermione brought her friends back to her home so they could unpack and freshen up. Sebastian and Philip loved her home and had the same view of it as Natalie. It totally suited Hermione. Once her friends were settled in, she took them on a tour of the town. They enjoyed the tour, especially viewing the plantations. They agreed with Hermione that St. Francisville was definitely a charming small town. Sebastian even fancied himself as Scarlett O'Hara drinking a mint julep as he walked on the upper level balcony of one the plantations. This place had a quality of time standing still. It was easy to sit back and relax. He and Philip were glad they had come here.

The week went by way too quickly for Hermione and her friends. They had spent a few days in New Orleans. Philip and Sebastian were so charmed by the old city that they were thinking of buying a home there when they retired. As St. Francisville suited Hermione's personality, New Orleans suited theirs. Hermione had taken them to the same hot spots Lenny and Natalie had brought her to and they stayed at La Pavillon hotel. On their last night there, while she slept in her hotel room, Hermione had another encounter with Marie Laveau.

"Hey my baby, it's been a while. You look well," Marie said.

"Thank you, I feel better than the last time we met," Hermione replied.

Marie took Hermione's hand and led them out to the streets of New Orleans again. As before, they were the only two beings walking around.

"I like Philip and Sebastian. You need good friends like them in your life," Marie said.

"They're like the big brothers I never had. I am lucky to have them, they helped me through a rough time," Hermione answered.

Marie smiled and patted Hermione's hand. "You're probably wondering why I came to you tonight."

"I'm not sure, maybe you only wanted to say hello," Hermione said and smiled.

Marie tilted her head back and laughed. "No child, as much as I enjoy seeing you, when I appear it is for a reason."

"I suppose this is regarding Draco? I'm trying to get over him, really I am," Hermione said.

"Don't fret, I know you are. I worried about Draco, but he is handling that crazy marriage well. I wanted to let you know that you must not underestimate his bride Flori," Marie said as she looked into Hermione's eyes.

"What do you mean by that Marie? A statement like that makes me think that she is falling for Draco. It is as if you are warning me," Hermione said as she searched Marie's face.

"All will reveal itself in time, it is what it is Hermione," Marie replied. As soon as she said this, Hermione was back in her bed in the hotel room. She sat up and went to the bathroom. As she splashed water on her face, she pondered Marie's cryptic message. Fine, she decided. If Flori fell in love with Draco, she would deal with it. It wasn't surprising that something like that could happen. Draco and Flori were married after all; they saw each other every day. Hermione knew the effect Draco had on her, why not Flori too? Hermione tried to push that thought out of her head, but ended up crying herself back to sleep. She woke up in a few hours and tried to think of the whole meeting with Marie as a sad dream, but she knew it was all too real.

Hermione and her friends left New Orleans and went back to St. Francisville. It was Saturday afternoon. Philip and Sebastian were leaving the next morning; they both had to be back at work Monday. They enjoyed the afternoon sitting on Hermione's front porch and relaxing in the cool breeze the ceiling fans provided. Hermione learned how to fix mint juleps and Sebastian was sipping his with a look of pure bliss. She did not tell them about her encounter with Marie and decided to put it out of her mind. She was not going to overanalyze it. Like Marie said, it is what it is.

That night they were joined by Lenny, Natalie, and Ron. Philip fixed dinner as Hermione protested because she felt they were her guests and she didn't want him to feel obligated to cook. Philip laughed and reassured her he enjoyed cooking, it was like therapy for him. As they ate dinner, they could hear faint sounds of some sort of music playing. Hermione's friends went outside to see if they could find out the source.

"It seems to be coming from that way," Sebastian said.

"Hermione, is there a bar near your home?" Natalie asked.

"I think there is one behind that little patch of woods nearby. I believe it's called The Cozy Lounge," Hermione replied and giggled.

"And you never went there? Oh no, with a name like that and the loud music, we are totally going," Sebastian said.

The friends discovered a well-worn path in the patch of woods that led them into the parking lot of The Cozy Lounge. Natalie looked at Hermione with a grin.

"It has to be whoever had this house before me made this path. It sure wasn't me!" Hermione exclaimed.

They entered the lounge and were treated to a sight of a country music band and people two-stepping across the dance floor. They were able to grab a table and ordered drinks from the waitress. The band was playing a fast song by Brooks and Dunn. Lenny grabbed Hermione's hand and swung her around the dance floor. Natalie brought Ron to the dance floor and proceeded to teach him how to two-step. Philip and Sebastian watched the young couples dancing. They thought that Hermione and Lenny looked like such a gorgeous couple; it was a shame that they were destined to only be friends. When the song ended, they returned to the table while one of the waitresses made an announcement.

"Hey ya'll the bets have started for bingo, place them while it's hot!" the waitress shouted in the microphone.

"I can't believe it; I thought it was only a myth!" Natalie said excitedly.

"What are you talking about Nat?" Hermione asked.

Natalie took Hermione's arm and led her to where the bets were being placed. A huge table about the same size as a pool table was set up near the back of the bar. The table had squares painted on it and the squares were numbered from one to twenty-five. Each square was worth $5. Natalie quickly placed a bet on number 12. Sebastian had followed the girls because he was curious as to what the bingo was about. He bet on number 25. He had no idea what it was about, but it seemed fun.

"Nat, what is this?" Hermione asked.

"Someone had told me about this and I thought she was joking! It's Chicken Shit Bingo!" Natalie exclaimed.

"Okay Nat, I'm lost. Explain," Hermione replied and laughed.

"'Mione, just watch and you'll understand," Natalie said knowingly.

As soon as all the bets were placed, the waitress brought out a hen and placed it on the table. The chicken clucked and strutted around the table. Hermione still didn't get what was going on until the chicken shit on one of the squares.

"We have a winner! Would number 25 please step up to claim your prize," the waitress shouted.

"Aaah that's me! I won Chicken Shit Bingo!" Sebastian exclaimed. He went up and happily claimed his prize of $125! The waitress snapped a picture of him posing with the chicken tucked under one arm and the cash in his hand. Natalie also snapped a picture with her phone.

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes," Hermione stated as she shook her head and laughed.

"I can't believe Chicken Shit Bingo actually exists! This was awesome," Natalie replied.

The friends ended up staying until closing time at 2:00 a.m. Philip and Sebastian had to be up in a few hours to catch their flight back, but they didn't care. It was such a fabulous vacation. They promised Hermione that they would visit again and meant it. They had fallen in love with Louisiana.

In the weeks they had been training together, Draco and Harry started to form a friendship based on a grudging respect for one another. Draco appreciated that Harry did not let the title of "The Chosen One" go to his head. Harry wanted to be treated like any other trainee. Harry like that Draco seemed to have matured and wasn't such a smartass like when they were at Hogwarts. He still didn't care for what happened between Draco and Hermione, but he decided to put those feelings aside. He figured Draco didn't have much say in the matter of the arranged marriage.

They were on their lunch break one day and Draco looked up as he heard Harry laughing. Harry had brought his laptop. He was checking emails and had received one from Hermione with photos attached.

"What's so funny Harry?" Draco asked.

Harry turned the laptop toward him so Draco could see that it was the picture of Sebastian with the chicken. Draco scrutinized the picture and looked at Harry with a puzzled expression.

"I don't get it. I know that's Hermione's friend Sebastian, but what is he doing with a chicken?" Draco asked.

Harry explained to him about Chicken Shit Bingo and they had a good laugh. Harry started to scroll to the other photos and came upon a really good one of Hermione with Philip and Sebastian. They were standing in front of one of the plantations with their arms linked. They had gotten one of the tour guides to take their picture. It was one of Hermione's favorites. Harry noticed that Draco had a look of longing and sadness as he focused only on Hermione.

"Are you okay looking at these Draco?" Harry asked.

"Sure, I'm fine. She really is beautiful. She looks happy," Draco said sadly.

They looked at the rest of the pictures and then their lunch break was over. As Harry put his laptop away in his locker, he looked over at Draco. He never thought in a million years that he would actually feel sorry for Draco Malfoy, but he did. He realized Draco was still very much in love with Hermione, but was stuck in a loveless marriage.

Hermione started school and went to working part-time. She relished her new schedule and looked forward to the challenge of her classes. College was a whole new experience and she jumped right into it. She was rushed into Kappa Kappa Gamma and made it into the sorority. Hermione liked that sorority life wasn't all about partying and socializing. The young women did plenty of work to benefit the community. This all kept Hermione very busy, for which she was grateful. She didn't think of Draco until she was alone in bed after a long day. Harry told her that he was doing well in the Auror program. She was glad for him, but wondered how he was really doing. Maybe he was happy with Flori and was able to get on with his life. She didn't like to think that, but it was realistic. Hermione decided along with "what the fuck' she added "life is not a fucking fairytale." Prince Charming was not going to come to her rescue. It was a jaded view of the world, but it made things so much easier to deal with. She had to be strong.

The months seemed to fly by and Flori couldn't believe that it was already the middle of October. She had been married for almost 4 months, but it felt like it was much longer. She lived in the same house as Draco, but they barely talked. Flori was still with Jean-Luc every night, but her fake marriage was taking a toll on their relationship. Jean-Luc knew that Flori had to keep up appearances to make the marriage appear stable, but he hated knowing that she had to be with Draco. He knew nothing was going on, but still couldn't help being jealous. Jean-Luc wanted Flori all to himself; it was getting more and more difficult to share her with another man even it was all for show.

One evening after making love, Jean-Luc was cuddling with Flori in the bed in his apartment. He ran his hands over Flori's bikini area and found that she had gained a little weight.

"Looks like marriage is making someone gain a little weight," Jean-Luc whispered in Flori's ear and chuckled.

Flori slapped his hand away and laughed. "I'm probably a little bloated; it must be getting close to that time of the month."

The couple fell asleep and Flori woke up a few hours later to get back to the house she shared with Draco. She took a quick shower and when she was done, she thought about something. Flori looked in the cabinet under the lavatory and saw the unopened box of tampons. When Flori started to think back, it had been quite some time since she had her period. She was always so careful to do contraceptive charms, but maybe there was a night she forgot. Maybe that night before her wedding when she and Jean-Luc had a few bottles of wine? She placed her hand on her stomach and looked in the mirror. This was definitely going to make a difference in her sham of a marriage.

**Merry Christmas! What is Flori going to do? Enjoy.**

**Always-Thank you so much for the fab reviews and all of the alerts! Appreciate it: -)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter!**

Flori had so many thoughts running through her mind. She did notice that her breasts seemed more tender than usual, but they always were like that before her period. She was probably stressed out from the wedding crap and that was why she was late. Regardless, she decided to stop and pick up a pregnancy test at a drug store that was near her place of work. Flori quickly found what she needed and purchased it. She was able to slip the bag into her purse.

When Flori arrived at work, she went into her office and closed the door. Since it was her family's business, she had a huge office for herself with a bathroom. She went into the bathroom and ripped open the pregnancy test. She bought a package that contained two tests, just to make sure. She peed on the stick and waited a few minutes for her results. Flori gasped when she saw that there were two lines present, indicating a positive result. She threw the test into a wastebasket and covered it with tissue paper. This was not good. She was ecstatic to be pregnant with Jean-Luc's child, but how was she going to tell Draco? It never occurred to her or Draco what would happen if she would become pregnant. After lunch, she took the second pregnancy test to make sure and it was positive too. She also hid that test in the wastebasket. She really needed to speak to Draco, but they hardly ever saw each other. He kept long hours training to become an Auror. Flori realized that she would see Draco tonight but it was because they were having dinner with his parents. Maybe she could talk to him afterwards and they could figure something out.

Flori texted Draco and let him know that she was going to meet him at their house. They wanted to make sure that they were seen leaving together in case there were any paparazzi around. Flori dressed quickly in relaxed slacks and a loose fitting sweater. Draco returned and took a quick shower. He changed quickly into black Dockers with a black button down shirt and sports coat. He met Flori at the door.

"Hey, ready to get this over with?" Draco asked.

"Sure, the sooner the better. Draco I need to speak to you afterwards," Flori replied.

"Okay, is anything wrong?" Draco asked.

"I'll tell you after dinner, just something that has come up," Flori answered hoping she didn't reveal how nervous she was.

The couple made their way to Diagon Alley for dinner at a restaurant with Lucius and Narcissa. Draco and Flori did a good job of pretending that everything was just great with their marriage. Flori noticed that Narcissa kept gazing at her with a strange expression on her face. Flori excused herself to go to the ladies room and Narcissa followed. While they were reapplying their lipstick at the mirror, Narcissa spoke.

"Is there something you want to tell me Flori?" Narcissa asked.

"No Narcissa, everything is fine, why do you ask?" Flori replied. Did Narcissa know that she and Draco were faking? Merlin, did Narcissa know about Jean-Luc?

Narcissa waved her wand towards Flori's stomach area and smiled happily. "I knew it when you walked in, but I just performed a small charm to confirm that you are indeed pregnant! When were you and Draco going to tell us? Oh, I am going to be a grandmother!"

The only word running through Flori's mind was FUCK! She needed to think of something fast. How the hell was she going to explain this one to Draco?

"Well Narcissa, we were waiting for the right time. Draco is still shocked," Flori replied.

"Come on, let's get back! I can't believe my dear boy was keeping such wonderful news from us!" Narcissa said.

The ladies went back to the table and much to Flori's dismay, Narcissa went over to Draco and hugged him. "Oh darling Draco, I just heard the good news!"

"Well I am glad that you are happy mother," Draco said not knowing what Narcissa was talking about. He decided the best thing was to play along and hope his mother didn't notice. He tried to look at Flori but she was seated and had her head down.

"What's this good news?" Lucius asked.

"Lucius, we're going to be grandparents! Isn't it wonderful!" Narcissa gushed.

Draco kept a smile frozen on his face. This was what Flori wanted to talk to him about. Lucius came over to Draco and clapped him on the back.

"I knew it wouldn't be long for you to produce an heir. We Malfoys are very virile specimens," Lucius bragged.

Draco wanted to tell him apparently Jean-Luc was a virile specimen too, but he bit his tongue. He and Flori made it through the rest of the dinner without Draco giving any indication that he knew absolutely nothing about the pregnancy. His stupid parents really believed it was his baby.

When Draco and Flori returned to their home, he was livid.

"You know Flori, just when I thought my life couldn't be more fucked up, this happens! This is just great, now I have to raise another man's child!" Draco growled.

"Draco, please realize I'm so sorry, I thought I was being careful. I was going to tell you, but Narcissa figured it out at the restaurant. It caught me off guard; I didn't know what to do," Flori said and started crying.

Draco immediately felt like a heel for fussing at her, but damn it to hell. How were they going to work around this?

"Flori I'm sorry I bit your head off, but this is a shock. We'll need to figure something out. I guess we need to make the best of it. It isn't the child's fault. I am sure I'll love your child even if he or she isn't my blood," Draco said.

"Draco, I can't think right now, but I won't ask you to raise Jean-Luc's child. I'll work something out," Flori replied.

"I don't know what else we can do Flori. We'll have to continue this sham of a marriage, especially since a baby is coming," Draco said sadly

"I know we don't know each other well Draco, but I'm a very resourceful girl. I'm going to find a way to get us out of this. You and I are miserable, we can't go on living this way," Flori said.

Draco sat down heavily in a chair in their den. He never noticed when Flori apparated out of the home to meet Jean-Luc. He decided to turn in for the evening. As he climbed into bed it occurred to him that there was never going to be a chance to be with Hermione again. Flori's pregnancy changed everything.

Hermione and Natalie were shopping for Halloween costumes. The Dupre siblings were throwing a huge Halloween party at their house. Ron was going to be Natalie's date, of course. She was looking for costumes they could wear at a couple. When she found the Old West gunfighter and the saloon girl, she knew that was the one. Hermione didn't know what type of costume she wanted. She didn't even have a date for the party. While she was looking, she bumped into Lenny. He was looking for a costume too. They laughed as he tried on different masks.

"Hermione, do you have a date for this thing?" Lenny asked.

"No, I was just going to go solo," Hermione replied.

"How about you be my date, I'm single at the moment," Lenny said.

Hermione laughed. "Pleaaaase, you're always single, Mr. Girl of the Month Club. It's hard to believe you can't find a date."

"I want my date to be someone fun and not clinging to me all night," Lenny said.

"Well since I am so much fun, I'll be your date Lenny Dupre," Hermione said and laughed.

Lenny laughed too but he was really glad that Hermione was going to be his date. He always liked Hermione since their make-out session in New Orleans, but kept his distance since she was his sister's friend. Now that he was spending more time with her, Lenny found he was very attracted to Hermione. He just had to give her time to get over that asshole Draco.

Hermione and Lenny looked for costumes and decided to find costumes that matched too. They chose to go as Snooki and The Situation of "Jersey Shore," a reality show on MTV. They were laughing as they paid for the costumes. Hermione and Lenny agreed not to let anyone know what their costumes were going to be. It was going to be great.

Work was still going well for Hermione. She went in Wednesday afternoon since she only had morning classes on that day. She'd caught up on her filing, so she decided to go to the break room for something to drink. Hermione noticed a copy of the American wizard tabloid and couldn't help herself. She tried to keep from reading the tabloids, but her curiosity got the better of her. When she got to the International section, her heart dropped when she read the headline.

**Malfoy Heir on the Way!**

**Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy and Mr. and Mrs. Cyriaque Minieux are pleased to announce that they will be grandparents early next year. Draco and Flori Malfoy, married this past June, announced that Flori is expecting. The families are over the moon about this exciting news. **

This was why Marie Laveau had come to her. Flori was pregnant. She and Draco were sleeping together. Was it even true that Flori had a boyfriend or was that all a ploy to get Draco to marry her? Hermione felt tears forming in the corner of one eye and she furiously wiped them away. This was the final straw. After reading this, she gave up all hope of ever being with Draco again. She had already wasted too many tears and energy.

Natalie walked into the break room and went up to Hermione to see what she was looking at. When Natalie saw the headline, she took the paper from Hermione and performed a disintegrating charm. Hermione gave her a grateful look.

"I'm sorry Hermione, one of the wizard architects must've left this in here. You shouldn't have read that," Natalie said softly.

"Oh Nat, she's pregnant! Do you believe that shit? Draco made me believe that he had no intention of sleeping with Flori, that she had a boyfriend. I'm so stupid," Hermione said sharply.

"You're far from stupid; don't put yourself down because of those assholes! You're better than that," Natalie replied.

"You know something Nat? This is it! I'm done with Draco Malfoy. I hope that motherfucker enjoys his miserable life with his French whore and their spawn," Hermione said angrily.

Nat patted her on the back. "Atta girl, it's about time you get pissed off. You have everything going for you here. I wouldn't waste another brain cell thinking about him."

Hermione smiled. "Why do you always make me feel better?"

"Because you are my dearest friend and I love you. Let's not mention Draco anymore, you'll make yourself sick," Natalie replied and hugged her.

Following Natalie's advice, the girls went back to work and started discussing the upcoming Halloween party. Hermione laughed and chatted with Natalie for the rest of the afternoon, but inside she was dying. How could Draco have let his happen? It hurt to know that Draco had used her and moved on to Flori when she wasn't available. She felt like a dagger was slicing through her. This too shall pass but it was going to be a long, painful process. Even after finding out this dreadful news, Hermione still loved him.

Hermione spoke to Sebastian and Ginny that night. They had heard about the pregnancy and felt terrible for Hermione. How many more unfortunate circumstances was it going to take for their friend to move on? Hermione deserved better and hopefully this would make her see that there was no future with Draco.

The night of the Halloween party arrived and Hermione was determined to have a good time. She and Lenny walked in together as Snooki and The Situation. Everyone recognized who they were at once and loved their costumes. Hermione had on a really low-cut and short tight spandex dress in pink. She also wore a black wig similar to Snooki's hair. Lenny had spiked and gelled his hair like The Situation's. He even had a tan sprayed on so his skin looked orange. They met up with Natalie and Ron, who looked really cute together. This was Ron's first Halloween party and he was enjoying it. She and Lenny danced a few times and then Lenny started to dance with Marilyn Monroe. Hermione was getting something to drink when she was asked to dance by Captain Jack Sparrow. She had no idea who he was, but as they danced she found out that his name was Ty and he was in her English class. She laughed as she looked across the large living room and saw Lenny picking up his shirt to show off his abs. As the party winded down, Lenny made his way back to her and they danced to the last song played by the deejay.

"I always save the best for last," Lenny said as he smiled down at Hermione.

"I don't mind if you want to keep dancing with Marilyn Monroe, you two looked like you were having fun earlier," Hermione replied.

"Nah, look over there. Marilyn's leaving with Shrek. I can't compete with Shrek," Lenny said with a grin on his face. He pulled Hermione close to him so her head was resting against his chest. She didn't mind, being with Lenny was comforting. When the song ended, Hermione thanked him and walked over to Natalie to help her clean up. Lenny watched her walk away and felt disappointed he didn't have her in his arms anymore.

As soon as the guests were gone, the four friends used magic to put the house back in order. Hermione sat back on the couch to survey their handiwork. Ron plopped down beside her.

"Hey stranger, did you have fun?" Hermione asked. She was so busy dancing and having a good time, she barely spent any time with Natalie or Ron.

"I did 'Mione. Natalie is incredible. I have you to thank for bringing her into my life. I asked her to The Burrow for Christmas break and she accepted. If you don't have anything planned, you know you are welcome to come too," Ron said.

Hermione sat up and looked at Ron. "This must be getting serious if you are bringing her to The Burrow."

Ron's face reddened. "It is serious. I'm in love with her. I know I should wait, but I think I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Ron that is terrific news! If you feel in your heart that it's the right time to ask her, by all means go for it. I think Nat will be pleasantly surprised," Hermione said as she hugged her friend.

At that moment, Natalie walked back into the living room. "Hey hussy, get your own man! Just because you're dressed like Snooki doesn't mean you have to act like her!" Natalie said this with a smile and was laughing.

Ron grabbed Natalie and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her and said, "You're the only woman for me Natalie Dupre."

Natalie kissed him back and replied, "Damn right I am."

"You two are decaying my teeth with all of your sweetness. I'm going to bed," Hermione said. She decided to stay at Lenny and Natalie's since it was so late and she had had a few drinks. Natalie flipped her the middle finger and continued snuggling with Ron.

Hermione pulled off the wig as she walked to the guest bedroom. She met up with Lenny in the hallway. He had taken a shower and was back to looking like himself.

"Much better than The Situation I must say," Hermione said.

"You're not so bad yourself since you got rid of the Snooki wig," Lenny replied and laughed.

"Goodnight Lenny thanks for being my date. I had fun," Hermione said.

"Goodnight to you Hermione. I had fun too," Lenny answered.

She made it to her room and shed the rest of the Snooki costume. She took a quick shower and put on a camisole and sleep shorts. She was about to get into bed when there was a soft knock at the door. Hermione assumed it was Natalie wanting to talk. She was surprised to see Lenny.

"I'm sorry for bothering you at his late hour, I'll talk to you in the morning," Lenny said.

"It's okay Lenny, is something wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned because he looked a little uncomfortable.

Lenny walked into her room and sat on the end of her bed. Hermione sat beside him and waited for him to speak. Lenny turned towards her.

"Hermione, I know you are trying to get over Draco, but would you consider dating me?" Lenny asked.

"Lenny, I don't know what to say. I'm flattered, but I'm not ready to start dating. I'm sorry," Hermione replied.

"I thought so. Look how about we take it slow, we could hang out as friends," Lenny said as he looked into her eyes.

"I'm not sure about this Lenny. I'm afraid you're going to want more from me than I'm ready to give," Hermione said.

"We'll take it slow, I promise. How about we plan something for next weekend? No harm in that," Lenny said and smiled.

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Okay next weekend sounds fine."

Lenny gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and stood up. "I'll let you get some sleep. I'm a good man Hermione. I know you've been hurt, but we aren't all jerks."

"I know Lenny," Hermione replied and gave him a small smile.

Lenny smiled and walked out of her room and shut the door. Hermione sighed and got into bed. Here was another great guy willing to give her the sun and moon and all she could think about was Draco.

Flori sobbed as Jean-Luc held her. Jean-Luc was thrilled about the pregnancy but was dismayed as to how he was going to raise his child with Flori being married to someone else. Flori desperately looked over the marriage contract again and found something she had previously missed. If the contract was broken and the couple divorced, the party who initiated the proceedings would have to give up his/her wand and cease performing magic for 5 years. Once the 5 years was up, the wizard/witch would get to have a wand again. Flori decided to do some serious soul-searching. She tried to think if there was anyone she knew who had obtained a divorce and given up magic. All of a sudden it hit Flori. Why didn't she think of her before? Flori's Aunt Sophie had left her wizard husband in France approximately 10 years ago and abandoned magic. Flori's aunt was considered an "unmentionable" and the family hardly ever spoke of her. Flori had overheard her mother saying something about her sister Sophie living like a bohemian in London. That was it; Flori was going to find her aunt.

It took some digging, but Flori managed to find her aunt's address. She lived in the West End area. Flori found her apartment building and took the elevator to the fourth floor. She wondered why her mother said her aunt lived like a bohemian; this apartment building was very luxurious. Flori had no idea her aunt was a very successful writer. She wrote a series of children's books called "Serena the Sorceress" and there was even a television series revolving around the books. The doors opened and Flori stepped out. She walked down the long corridor and stopped at apartment 4D. She took a deep breath and knocked. The door opened and Flori found herself face to face with what she would probably look like in 20 years.

"Flori, I can't believe you are here! Come in, come in," Aunt Sophie said excitedly.

"How did you know it was me?" Flori asked as she stepped into her aunt's apartment.

"I may have left the wizarding world but I still like to know what's happening. I've been following the stories of your engagement and wedding. I just found out that you are expecting too. When I saw you last, you were a small child. Look at you now, you are so beautiful," Aunt Sophie replied.

"Thank you. You're probably wondering why I'm here," Flori said.

"I'm definitely happy to see you, but yes I'm intrigued as to what made you find me. I am how they say, "the black sheep" of the family. Come have a seat and we'll talk. Can I get you anything?" Aunt Sophie chuckled as she led Flori to her sitting room.

Flori looked around her and admired the décor of her aunt's apartment. Sophie had excellent taste. The furniture was very modern and there were fresh flowers in a vase. The sitting room was decorated in soft shades of cream and blue. Flori immediately felt calm in the room.

"No thank you, I'm fine. I hope I'm not intruding. I never understood why you left France and my family barely speaks of you. You don't have to tell me anything, but I wanted to know what happened with your marriage," Flori asked.

Aunt Sophie nodded. "I have nothing to hide Flori. I'll tell you anything you want to know. Ah yes, my marriage to Boris. That was doomed from the start. It was arranged by our parents. Boris was almost 10 years older than me and gay! Long story short, I stayed married for about 3 years and then I couldn't take it anymore. Boris and I were being pressured to have an heir. He would get drunk to have sex with me and then beat me because he couldn't get an erection! When I finally had enough, I said hell with it. I lost my wand, but it was worth it. I would've done anything to keep my sanity and losing my wand was a small price to pay."

"Aunt Sophie, I'm so sorry. I had no idea you went through such an ordeal! I came to you because I want to get out of my marriage," Flori responded.

"Why is that Flori? You're pregnant, surely your husband is happy?" Aunt Sophie said.

"Well here's the thing," Flori said and went on to explain to her aunt about her agreement with Draco. She told Sophie all about Jean-Luc and how she wanted to be with him and not Draco.

Aunt Sophie listened and thought for a moment. "Flori if you are serious about getting out of this marriage, consider the consequences. The Ministry will take your wand away, no more magic for 5 years."

"That is why I came to you. I wanted to know exactly what happened when you left the wizarding world behind," Flori said.

"My situation was different from yours. I had no one to turn to; you will have Jean-Luc. Will Jean-Luc be able to support you and a child? I ask because if you decide to end your marriage, be prepared for your family to turn against you. It was tough for me in the beginning, but I was fortunate to have my writing. I know that you are working in your father's office here in London. That job will not be there if you end your marriage. Your family will disown you," Aunt Sophie replied.

"Tell me something Aunt Sophie. Are you happy? Would you do it again if faced with the same situation?" Flori asked desperately.

Aunt Sophie looked at her directly into her eyes. "Yes I would, in a heartbeat. Life is too short to be unhappy and in a loveless marriage."

Flori started to cry and Aunt Sophie handed her a tissue. She gratefully accepted it and her aunt spoke again.

"Child you sought me out for a reason. I understand how conflicted you're feeling. Tell me, what does your heart tell you?" Aunt Sophie asked.

"My heart tells me to go away with Jean-Luc and never look back," Flori said through her tears.

"I think you have your answer as to what you should do," Aunt Sophie replied.

"I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me that was really decent of you considering how you've been treated by our family" Flori said.

"Flori, I was bitter for a few years, but I would embrace family if they'd decide to welcome me back," Aunt Sophie said.

"Well if I go ahead and make the decision I think I will, you'll be my only family!" Flori replied.

"I'd be honored Flori. I'm so happy you came to me. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you need anything," Aunt Sophie said.

Flori stood up to leave and embraced her aunt. She promised to visit her aunt again. This was crazy, but speaking to her aunt gave her a moment of clarity. So what if she lost her wand, she never used magic around Jean-Luc, it made him uncomfortable. She was going to do it, she found a way out. She couldn't believe it was that simple.

Lenny asked if Hermione wanted to go with him to Ron's Quidditch game on Saturday afternoon. Hermione accepted; even if Lenny hadn't asked her she still planned on attending the game. She sat between Lenny and Natalie and they cheered Ron on. When Lenny excused himself to go to the men's room and left the girls, Natalie started in on Hermione.

"Okay, what is going on with you and my brother?" Natalie asked.

"Nothing is going on, we're friends," Hermione replied.

"Nah, you were his date for the party last weekend and you're with him this weekend too. Lenny rarely asks a girl out twice unless he is really interested," Natalie said.

"Nat, I told him I wasn't ready to date. He asked if we could do things together as friends and I agreed. That's all it is," Hermione answered.

"I don't know 'Mione. I've seen the way he's been looking at you lately. Try not to break his heart; although he would deserve it, he is such a player!" Natalie said and laughed.

"I have no intention of breaking anyone's heart. Lenny and I are taking it slow. If it leads to something more, good, if not, life goes on," Hermione answered.

"That's really deep 'Mione. I had no idea you were such a philosopher," Natalie said sarcastically and snickered.

"Up yours Nat. Leave me alone and go back to looking at Ron's butt," Hermione said good-naturedly.

"You have to admit it is cute, isn't it?" Natalie said, her eyes sparkling.

"What's cute?" Lenny asked as he returned to his seat.

"Ron's butt," Natalie replied.

"I can't believe I walked right into that. Spare me," Lenny groaned.

They continued to watch the game and went out to dinner afterwards to celebrate Ron's victory. The American team was doing really well and was on its way to going all the way to the championship. As Hermione sat in the restaurant laughing and talking to her friends, she realized how fortunate she was to have them in her life. That was why she hated herself for still thinking about Draco and wishing he was there.

Draco was exhausted when he would return home from work. His life consisted of coming home, showering, dinner, maybe some light reading, and then bed. He only saw Flori when they had to go to dinner with his parents once a week. He wanted to laugh because they believed he and Flori was a happy couple. They truly were clueless. Draco found himself thinking of Hermione more and more. He wondered if it was possible to see her, just to check on how she was doing. He knew it was dangerous, but he decided to see if he could apparate to where she lived. Draco had looked up her address and was able to easily find it. It was crazy and risky, but Hermione was worth it.

Hermione and her friends ended up at The Cozy Lounge after they had dinner. They enjoyed the atmosphere and loved betting on Chicken Shit Bingo. Natalie was still trying to teach Ron how to two-step and they were making a little progress. Hermione enjoyed dancing with Lenny; anyone he danced with would look good, he was such a smooth dancer. They ended up getting drunk on beer and shots, so they all agreed to spend the night at Hermione's house. It was a good thing they only had to walk a short distance to the house. Natalie and Ron settled into the spare bedroom, while Hermione brought out a pillow and blanket for Lenny to sleep on the couch. He was so drunk, he didn't protest. Lenny collapsed on the couch and started snoring. Hermione giggled and felt guilty because his feet were hanging off the couch. She just didn't feel comfortable sleeping with him in the same bed even though he was drunk and wouldn't try anything. She managed to brush her teeth, wash her face, and undress. Hermione pulled on an oversized T-shirt and went to bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Draco couldn't believe he was actually outside of Hermione's house. It was about 3:00 a.m. and very quiet. He took a deep breath and made his way to the back deck of Hermione's home. He reached the door and did a quick Alohomora charm to get in. Draco moved very quietly. He saw Lenny passed out on the sofa and stifled a laugh at how loudly the American wizard was snoring. He made his way to the hallway where he figured Hermione's bedroom was. Draco was about to open the first door he came to and froze when he heard the Weasel's voice, then a female voice that was definitely not Hermione's. Thank Merlin he hadn't opened the door; he would've had to disappear fast and probably perform a memory erasing charm. He cautiously made his way to the next door and he saw that it wasn't closed all the way. He slowly opened it and stepped in the bedroom. There she was, his Hermione.

Draco watched her sleep for a few minutes. He went beside her bed and stroked her hair away from her face. Hermione stirred and moaned. She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her cheek. Draco stiffened and wasn't sure what to do.

"Mm Draco, I missed you so much," Hermione murmured in her sleep.

"I missed you too my love," Draco whispered very softly. Hermione released his hand and rolled over with a contented smile on her face. She thought she was having a dream. Draco didn't want to risk having her wake up and seeing he was actually there. He reluctantly decided it was time to get back, but before he left he kissed her on her forehead. It took all of his inner strength and willpower not to climb into that bed with Hermione and hold her. Draco exited the home and went back to the small patch of woods. He apparated back to his home in London. He felt so alone, but at least he had been able to see and touch Hermione. It was better than nothing.

Hermione woke up the next morning and smiled. She had had the most amazing dream. Draco was there in her bedroom, she couldn't believe how real it all felt. She actually felt him graze her cheek and kiss her on the forehead. She had a dull ache in her heart, but for some reason the dream comforted her.

After seeing her aunt, Flori was a busy girl. First, she withdrew her money from her account at a muggle bank. She was glad that she insisted on keeping her job after she was married and getting paid in muggle funds. Her family's business had the best and brightest accountants and they included muggles, so that was how she was able to do this. She and Jean-Luc would need the money to make a fresh start. She had moved the little bit of her personal belongings from the house she shared with Draco to Jean-Luc's apartment. She finally moved on to the most difficult task, going before the Ministry to end her marriage.

Flori took a few deep breaths before entering the Ministry of Magic building. She could do this she said to herself as she finally went in. She took the elevator to the 9th floor where the Office of Marriage and Legal Affairs was located. Her aunt told her to ask to see a witch by the name of Amelie LeBordeau. Ms. LeBordeau was sympathetic to witches and wizards subjected to arranged marriages. She risked her job by feeling this way, but she always thought arranged marriages were so unfair to both parties. She had been at her current position as a legal consultant for the past 20 years and no one suspected that she was the catalyst in ending many unhappy marriages. Flori asked for Ms. LeBordeau at the front desk. After a few minutes, Ms. LeBordeau came to the front and brought her to her office. They entered the office and Ms. LeBordeau shut the door and offered Flori a seat.

"Flori Malfoy, correct?" Ms. LeBordeau asked.

"Yes ma'am. I came to see you about terminating my marriage," Flori said nervously.

Ms. LeBordeau nodded. "Yes Flori. I have spoken to your aunt and she told me a little bit about your situation. I noticed that you're pregnant. Doesn't your husband want the child?"

Flori's face reddened. "The baby isn't his. We've never even consummated the marriage." Flori explained to her about the agreement she and Draco have. Ms. LeBordeau listened and nodded.

"Well Flori, if you want to go through with this, here is what is going to happen. We'll have to call your husband to come here and verify all that you have told me is the truth. If he is in agreement with you about terminating the marriage, you will have to surrender your wand. The necessary paperwork will be drawn, we will need your signatures and the marriage will be terminated. You are aware that you'll no longer be able to practice magic for 5 years, correct? After the 5 years is up, you will be allowed to have your wand back," Ms. LeBordeau explained.

Flori nodded. "I understand what I'll be giving up. I am ready to go through with it. I intend on living in the muggle world and raising my child there."

"I'll go ahead and see if we can get your husband here. He is in Auror training at the moment, yes?" Ms. LeBordeau asked.

"Yes, that's where he is," Flori answered. Her heart was beating fast; this was really happening. She was going to get out of the marriage.

Draco was called out of training by one of his supervisors and told to report to the 9th floor. He had no idea what this could be about. He gave his name at the front desk and was immediately brought to Ms. LeBordeau's office. When Draco walked in, he was surprised to see Flori.

"Flori, what is this about?" Draco asked.

"Have a seat Mr. Malfoy and I'll explain everything," Ms. LeBordeau said.

Draco was stunned as Ms. LeBordeau told him Flori was willing to give up her wand to end the marriage. He couldn't believe that Flori would go to such lengths and decided he couldn't let her do that.

"Flori, I won't let you give up your wand. Not only that, your whole family will shun you," Draco said. He didn't love her but was still concerned about her well-being.

"Draco, my mind is made up. I'm fine with giving everything up. Jean-Luc and our unborn child are the only things that matter to me. Let it go, I assure you I'll make it," Flori said and smiled.

They discussed it more and finally Draco relented and signed the papers. Just like that, he was a free man. A healer was brought in to perform a DNA charm to make sure the baby was not Draco's and indeed it wasn't.

Draco and Flori thanked Ms. LeBordeau and left the office. Ms. LeBordeau sat back in her chair and smiled. All in a day's work for her.

Draco walked out with Flori and they rode the elevator together.

"You do know that this is going to be total chaos once the press gets wind of this," Draco said.

"I'm aware of that. Jean-Luc and I plan on leaving tonight, so hopefully we'll be able to avoid the fallout," Flori replied with a small smile.

"You know, you are an incredible woman Flori. You must really love Jean-Luc to give everything up," Draco said.

"Draco, I don't feel like I'm losing anything. I feel like I'm going to be able to start a whole new life with the man I love. You'll be free to go to your Hermione," Flori answered.

"I don't know about that Flori, I think maybe I should leave Hermione alone so she can get on with her life," Draco said sadly.

"Nonsense Draco. Go to her," Flori urged.

The elevator came to the first floor and they stepped out.

"I guess this is it. It's been interesting to say the least," Flori said.

"That it was. Flori, if you and Jean-Luc need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. I wish you well. Let me know about the baby," Draco said and hugged his now ex-wife.

Flori hugged him back. "I'll keep that in mind. You are a good man, Draco Malfoy. Hermione would be crazy not to take you back."

Draco watched her leave and made his way back to the Auror's office. He still couldn't get over that his marriage was over. He thought about what Lucius and Narcissa's reaction was going to be and found that he didn't care. Draco felt he was being given another chance and was not going to let his parents ruin it. He was going to win Hermione back with or without their approval.

Flori and Jean-Luc left that afternoon on a flight to New Orleans. Jean-Luc's brother and wife had been living there for years and were thrilled to take in the young couple until they could get on their feet. Jean-Luc's brother owned a construction business and Jean-Luc was going to be working with him. As the plane took off, Flori squeezed Jean-Luc's hand and smiled. They planned on getting married in New Orleans and couldn't wait to start their new life.

Draco was right about the press coverage. It was massive to say the least; he and Flori's divorce was one of the hugest scandals ever witnessed in the wizarding world. Somehow it was leaked that Flori was pregnant for a muggle and had carried on the affair throughout the short-lived marriage.

Draco was sleeping peacefully when he was rudely awakened by Lucius.

"What is the meaning of this? How could you bring so much shame to your mother and me?" Lucius screamed as he waved a copy of The Daily Prophet.

"Father, calm down," Draco growled. He was not in the mood for Lucius' crap.

"Don't speak to me in that tone, boy! You know what I think? I think you knew the whole time that French trollop was having an affair!" Lucius yelled as he pulled Draco roughly out of the bed.

When Lucius did that, Draco sprang into action. He pushed Lucius against the wall and lodged his elbow against Lucius' throat. Lucius' eyes widened in surprise and fear. He had no idea Draco was so strong.

"Don't you ever make the mistake of touching me again old man. You listen and listen good. The marriage is over. I never loved her and she never loved me. I didn't care that she had a lover. Hell, the only times I saw her was when we had to meet you and mother for dinner. It was all happening right under your noses," Draco said slowly and grinned.

Draco let go of his father and Lucius stumbled as he caught his breath. He couldn't believe what had just happened.

"You get out of this house and find somewhere else to live, you insolent prat! You are no longer my son," Lucius hissed in his face.

Draco pushed him away. "Don't ever get in my face again if you want to live to see another day, you fucked in the head bastard. You're dead to me."

Lucius's eyes blazed but he only said, "Make sure you are out of here before the day ends!" His robes billowed as he walked to the floo network and went back to Malfoy Manor.

Draco looked around him and processed what had just happened. Within a day, his marriage ended and his father disowned him. He felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was actually free to live his life. Draco dressed for work and packed his belongings. He was able to shrink his belongings into a small box that would fit in his locker at work. He would probably stay in a hotel and then start looking for an apartment. Like Flori and Jean-Luc, he was excited to start his new life.

Harry had read The Daily Prophet and when Draco arrived at work, Harry let him know that he was there if Draco needed anything. Draco told him about Lucius throwing him out of the house and that he was going to search for an apartment. Harry would not hear of it. He insisted that Draco move in with him at 12 Grimmauld Place. There was plenty of room. Draco couldn't believe his good fortune. Harry was really turning out to be a good friend.

Flori and Jean-Luc fit in very well in New Orleans. They were able to find a small home near Jean-Luc's place of work. Flori was the perfect homemaker, she was able to fix their home into a very comfortable abode. She had never been so happy in all her life. She kept in touch with her Aunt Sophie. Sophie was so relieved to hear that her niece made it out of London unscathed. Sophie planned on visiting the young couple once the baby arrived. It was a blessing to have Flori back into her life.

Flori had one more thing to do. She wanted to see Hermione Granger. Jean-Luc didn't think it was such a good idea, but when Flori wanted something she could be very persuasive. Flori was able to find Hermione's address in St. Francisville and Jean-Luc agreed to drive Flori there.

It was mid-November and there was a chill in the air. Hermione loved the weather and had all of the windows of her home open to let the north wind through. It felt good to air out her home and the weather made her think of London. She was dusting the furniture in her living room when she looked out of the window. An unfamiliar car was coming up her driveway. Hermione wondered who it could be; she wasn't expecting company.

The small sedan came to a stop. A young man with glasses stepped out and went over to open the passenger side. Hermione gasped when she saw Flori step out. What was Flori doing here and where was Draco? Hermione stepped out onto her porch and watched as the couple made their way towards her.

**Hope you enjoyed this tumultuous chapter! As always, thank you for the wonderful reviews and alerts! I will try to get the last chapter up soon. Time for Draco and Hermione to find each other again!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Disclaimer:**** I think we all know by now that I don't own anything related to Harry Potter nor profit from it. **

Hermione stood on her porch with her arms folded. What was this all about? She imagined that she was a sight with her hair piled atop her head in a messy ponytail. She was also wearing old sweats and a T-shirt. She wasn't expecting visitors. Hermione felt self-conscious for when Flori stepped out of the car, she was as gorgeous as ever. She always thought that it was an old wives tale when it was said that a pregnant woman glows, but Flori was radiant.

Flori smiled at Hermione. "I must be the last person you'd expect to show up on your doorstep."

"That'd be a good assumption Flori Malfoy. Where's Draco and what are you doing here?" Hermione asked. Was Flori here to rub her pregnancy in Hermione's face?

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about Hermione. Do you have time for us to talk? This may take a while," Flori said.

"I suppose so. Why don't you and your friend come in," Hermione said with a sigh, a little flustered and taken aback.

"He's not my friend, he's my husband. Where are my manners? Hermione, meet Jean-Luc, Jean-Luc, meet Hermione Granger," Flori replied and gave a small laugh.

Jean-Luc and Hermione shook hands. Hermione led them into the house and did a quick charm to shut all of the windows in her house. The cool wind felt nice before, but seeing Flori gave Hermione goose bumps and she was suddenly cold and uncomfortable.

"I'll be totally honest. This is so bizarre. I don't understand how you are married to someone else," Hermione blurted out.

"Why don't we sit down and I'll explain it all," Flori said gently.

Hermione ever the polite hostess asked if they wanted anything to drink, she could put a pot of tea on, but Flori and Jean-Luc shook their heads; they were fine.

Flori and Jean-Luc were seated on the couch and Hermione sat in a chair across from the couple. Flori started to speak and talked for almost an hour. Hermione only sat there and was speechless. She silently processed everything Flori had just told her. According to Flori, there was no way the baby was for Draco. They had never slept together. It hit Hermione that this is what Marie Laveau meant when she said that Hermione should not underestimate Flori. Flori was never in love with Draco; she sacrificed everything to get out of their sham of a marriage. All Hermione could think was how amazing and strong Flori must be to go to such lengths to be with her true love.

"So that's why I came to you today Hermione. I wanted you to hear it from me and not some wizarding tabloid," Flori said.

"Flori, I don't know what to say. I had accepted that Draco and I were never going to be together. I really thought he was the father of your baby. This changes everything," Hermione replied feeling flabbergasted by the news she received.

Flori grabbed her hands. "I truly hope you and Draco can be with each other again. He is miserable and I know he still loves you. If only he and I would've had the strength to stand up to our parents, our marriage would've never taken place. I know how hurt you were from all of this and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive Draco."

"Flori, I never stopped loving Draco. After hearing this, I'm not sure how to approach him. Maybe he needs time to think and get his life in order," Hermione replied with tears in her eyes.

Flori gently wiped away the tears. "Oh mon cheri, please don't cry. You're going to make me start blubbering too! I know you and Draco will find each other again. I can imagine this has all been a great shock!"

Hermione smiled and chuckled. "Flori, you just don't know what is going through my mind right now. I am trying to process all of this, wow!"

Flori and Jean-Luc stayed for about another hour. They told Hermione about living in New Orleans and how much they loved it. Hermione looked at the couple and it was so apparent that they were meant for each other.

"Well we have taken up enough of your time, we'll be heading on back," Flori said as she and Jean-Luc got up to leave.

Hermione walked with them to their vehicle. What a day! She decided she liked Flori and Jean-Luc. In an even more bizarre twist that day, Flori and Hermione became friends. They exchanged email addresses and promised to keep in touch. Hermione felt terrible that she had called Flori a French whore when she found out about the pregnancy, but it wasn't her fault! This was before she found out the baby wasn't Draco's and she got to know Flori as a person.

Flori and Jean-Luc hugged her and they exchanged good-byes. When they got into their car to leave, Flori rolled her window down and told Hermione one more thing.

"By the way Hermione, Marie told me to tell you hello," Flori said with a huge grin as she rolled the window up. She saw Marie about once a week since she and Jean-Luc moved to New Orleans.

Hermione stood there with her mouth open then closed it. She smiled and shook her head as she watched their car pull away. She should've known Marie had something to do with all of this. She went back into the house and decided to call Sebastian. He was so happy to hear from her.

"Hermione sweetie! I guess you've heard about the big scandal! I just found out about an hour ago from Morganza. She said Lucius disowned Draco!" Sebastian gushed.

"Whoa, I didn't know about that! I called to tell you about my visitor today," Hermione replied.

She and Sebastian spoke for about an hour, going over every detail. Sebastian thought Flori running off with Jean-Luc was one of the most romantic stories he had ever heard. As far as he was concerned, Flori had balls the size of Big Ben to do what she did. He didn't know her, but she was a heroine in his book.

Hermione wondered how Draco was taking being disowned by his family. She called Ginny right after she ended her call with Sebastian. Ginny told her she must have ESP because she was about to call her to discuss what happened. Hermione was able to find out that Draco had moved in with Harry at Grimmauld Place. She was comforted by this; she knew Harry would look out for Draco.

It would be so easy to take a flight back to London and go to Draco, but Hermione decided against this. She needed to give Draco time. After being so distraught, she couldn't believe that there was an actual chance they could be together again. She thought about all she had to take care of here. Finals were coming up and she had projects to complete with Mr. Dupre.

Hermione groaned when she realized that she had agreed to go out with Lenny that night. They were double dating with Natalie and Ron. She really needed to speak to Nat about all of this, but she wasn't sure if she would get a chance. Hermione also dreaded speaking to Lenny about it too. He really wanted a chance with her, but she had to find out if she and Draco were going to be a couple again. Lenny would have to understand it would always be Draco who had her heart.

She decided to wear jeans, a sweater, and UGG boots to go out that night. Lenny picked her up at about 6:30 p.m. and they met Natalie and Ron at Ron's apartment. They decided to go out for pizza and bowling. Ron had never been bowling before and was eager to learn the muggle sport. He was adapting to the muggle world quite well, especially with Natalie as an eager guide. Hermione was hoping for a chance to get Natalie alone so she could tell her everything that had been happening. When they finished bowling, Lenny saw a few pool tables in a game room and decided to teach Ron how to shoot pool. This provided an opportunity for Hermione and Natalie to talk.

"Oh shit, Flori actually showed up at your house? I can't even begin to think what was going on in your head!" Natalie exclaimed.

"Keep it down, I don't want everyone knowing my business," Hermione said quietly and giggled.

"So what does this mean for you and Draco? Has he tried to contact you?" Natalie asked.

"That's the thing, Nat. I haven't heard anything. Ginny told me he is living with Harry. It didn't surprise me when I found out Lucius disowned him. I guess I need to give Draco time to sort this all out," Hermione replied.

"I don't know if I wouldn't have been on my way to London by now if I were you," Natalie said.

"Believe me Nat, I want to, but I can't blow off finals and your father. As soon as I'm done with that I'll make a decision. I'm just a little nervous as to what Draco's reaction will be. Flori told me he still loves me, but I haven't heard from him," Hermione answered.

"Hermione I guess Draco doesn't know how you feel. Maybe he wants to give you time to figure all this out. I think it'll all work out, you'll see," Natalie said and hugged her friend.

"I hope so Nat," Hermione said as she returned Nat's hug.

"What's this? Did someone die?" Lenny blurted out as he walked up to the girls.

"No one died dipshit. We were having girl talk, go back to your game," Natalie said sarcastically.

"We're done with our game Miss Charming. We worked up an appetite and want pizza," Lenny replied as he flipped Natalie his middle finger and grinned at Hermione.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and laughed. They were used to these interactions between Lenny and Natalie. The four friends left the bowling alley and went to a local pizza parlor near LSU's campus. Hermione was glad that the restaurant was noisy; it kept conversation down to a minimum since they had to shout over the din of the other patrons. Lenny kept looking at her and she knew he was wondering what she and Natalie had been discussing. She knew that she and Lenny would have to talk soon, but for now she decided to enjoy the evening with her friends.

Plumes of blue smoke from cigars floated towards the ceiling of the huge dining room at 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry was hosting his monthly Saturday night poker game. Since Draco started living with Harry, he was finding that he enjoyed more and more muggle aspects of living. Harry showed him how to play poker and Draco picked up on it quickly. He was seated at the dining room table with the other wizards smoking cigars, drinking beer, and eating pizza. Draco had a cigar poking out of one corner of his mouth and was holding his cards in front of his face. He looked like he could have played one of the mobsters on The Sopranos. He regretted buying into Lucius' rhetoric of how they as pureblooded wizards were far superior to muggles. There was a whole other world out there and Draco intended on learning as much as he could about it. Lucius was seriously deluded.

Arthur Weasley was a regular at Harry's poker games. He was glad to see that Harry had taken Draco in. How could Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy throw out their only child? It was beyond Arthur's comprehension as to how Draco's parents could be so coldhearted. He and Molly loved their children unconditionally. The men had taken a break from the cards and there were different conversations taking place. Arthur took this opportunity to see how Draco was doing.

"Draco, is everything going okay?" Arthur asked.

"It's been good considering all what's happened, thanks for asking Mr. Weasley," Draco answered. It amazed him that Arthur Weasley was cordial to him. Draco felt like a cad for being so rude to the Weasleys all of those years. Harry and the Weasleys were so kind, compassionate, and understanding. All those years of listening to Lucius' hateful tirades had blinded him to how wonderful these people were; Draco was thankful that he was welcomed into their fold. He vowed never to be as narrow-minded as Lucius. Life was too short and precious.

"I don't know what your plans are for the upcoming holidays, but you are welcome to come to The Burrow. Molly and I would love to have you. I warn you, it may get a little loud with our crazy bunch!" Arthur said and chuckled.

"I appreciate that Mr. Weasley," Draco replied and smiled.

Arthur patted his back and smiled back. He walked away to start a conversation with one of his co-workers at the Ministry, but thought about Draco. He wondered if Hermione was going to make it to The Burrow for the holidays. He knew he shouldn't mettle, but he couldn't help feeling that Draco and Hermione were meant for each other. With Draco's arranged marriage ending the way it did, Arthur truly believed the Fates were trying to tell them something.

Lenny brought Hermione home and she decided that she was going to tell him her decision. Lenny was hoping to have a make out session with Hermione, but the look on her face told him otherwise. Hermione told him about Draco's marriage ending and her meeting with Flori. Lenny sat quietly and listened before speaking.

"So you want to give him another chance Hermione?" Lenny asked.

"Yes Lenny. I don't know what's going to happen, but I want to try again with Draco. I love him," Hermione replied.

Lenny knew that Hermione still loved Draco, but it still hurt to hear her say it out loud. "What are you going to do if he breaks your heart again?"

"I'll have to take my chances Lenny. I intend on going to London for the holidays to see him," Hermione said.

Lenny sighed. "I thought you'd say that. I'm disappointed but I always knew you were trying to get over Draco and still love him. For what it's worth, you'll always have my friendship."

Hermione was so relieved. "Lenny thank you for being so understanding. We can't help who we fall in love with. I know you'll find someone wonderful one day," Hermione said as she hugged him.

"You're welcome 'Mione. Maybe my princess will come one day," Lenny said and laughed.

Draco stood in the small patch of woods and watched this exchange. After the poker game had ended, Draco had decided to take his chances and apparate back to Hermione's house. He was curious to see how Hermione was doing. He wished he hadn't. From what he could see Hermione had moved on with the American wizard. What did he expect after everything they had gone through? Draco watched with a look of sadness as Hermione smiled up at Lenny and hugged him. He turned away and apparated back to Grimmauld Place with a heavy heart.

The next few weeks seemed to fly by. Hermione had finished finals and most of the projects with Mr. Dupre. She was quite pleased with her grades and had made the Dean's List. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were ecstatic when they found out about her grades. It eased their minds that they made the right decision in letting Hermione attend school in Louisiana.

About a week before Christmas, the dreams started coming. It was a recurring dream, always starting off the same way. Hermione would find herself on the grounds of Hogwarts and was led near the entrance of the Forbidden Forest. In the dream, she knew she was supposed to be searching for something, but couldn't remember what it was. Suddenly her hands reached up and touched her neck, then her ears. She would then remember the photos of Draco and her from last New Year's Eve and the jewelry she had buried. Why was she having the dreams now? Draco had never made any attempt to contact her. Was it even worth the effort to go back to Hogwarts to unbury her and Draco's past?

Draco started having a recurring dream about returning to Hogwarts. He was always standing at the same spot near the entrance of the Forbidden Forest. For some unknown reason, he knew he was supposed to dig in that spot and retrieve something. In the dream, he would start to dig with a shovel that happened to be lying there, but as he would dig deeper, he would wake up. What the hell was this all about? Draco figured he was having such bizarre dreams because he was exhausted from Auror training. He also couldn't stop thinking about Hermione. He knew she was with the American wizard. Draco replayed the memory of her smiling face as she hugged Lenny. He remembered when she would look at him that way. What he wouldn't give to be back in that position again. He loved Hermione enough to understand that she had moved on and was happy with Lenny. He wouldn't interfere.

Hermione smiled as she packed her belongings to head back to London. She was going to spend the holidays with her parents. Sebastian and Philip also couldn't wait for her to get back. She was definitely going to be at the Burrow on Christmas Day. Ron was going to propose to Natalie that day. Nat had no idea he had asked her parents for her hand in marriage about 3 weeks before. Unbeknownst to Nat, Mr. and Mrs. Dupre, along with Lenny, were also going to be there. They had grown to love Ron and were pleased with him joining their family. It was a relationship that moved quickly, but sometimes true love just happens that way. Hermione couldn't wait to see the look on Nat's face.

Hermione decided that she was going to take the initiative and seek out Draco. She needed to find out where they stood. She was also going to find a way to get to Hogwarts. As each day passed, the need to dig up what had been buried was growing more intense. Little details started flashing back in Hermione's mind. She vaguely remembered Marie Laveau coming to her when she spent her last night at Hogwarts. She thought it had all been a dream until she woke up the next morning realizing her jewelry was gone and she had blades of grass on her feet. She had really been walking on the grounds with Marie! Hermione processed all of this as she boarded the plane for London. This was going to profoundly affect her life.

Draco and Harry were off for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Draco tried to tell Harry he would be fine staying by himself, but Harry insisted he accompany him to The Burrow. When they arrived, Draco immediately felt welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley met them when they came out of the floo network. Mrs. Weasley gave both men huge hugs. Draco looked around and smiled. It was very loud and festive. Everyone was happy. Malfoy Manor was always so cold and formal, even at holidays. He didn't miss Lucius, but missed his mother. Draco knew that she wouldn't defy Lucius by trying to contact him. He saw Ron coming towards him and prepared for an argument, but was pleasantly surprised when Ron was smiling.

"Never thought I'd see a Malfoy in my house," Ron said and chuckled.

"I'm just as shocked as you are, Weasley I assure you. Your parents invited me," Draco replied and laughed.

"It's Ron and any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine," Ron said and stuck his hand out for Draco to shake.

Draco was really shocked, but quickly recovered. He put out his hand and the two men shook hands. "It's Draco Ron and I'm glad we can be friends."

"Good! Come on, I'll get you something to drink," Ron said as he clapped Draco on the back.

The evening went well and Draco hung out with the Harry, Natalie, and the Weasley family. Natalie noticed Draco spoke and laughed, but there was a faraway look in his eyes. When everyone was about to retire for bed, he spoke to her.

"Natalie, I know you probably don't care for me, but please tell me if Hermione is okay. I know you're her best friend," Draco said.

"Draco, Hermione is fine. She is supposed to be here tomorrow," Natalie said and actually smiled at him.

Draco's eyes lit up and for the first time in months, he actually felt hopeful. "That's good to know, maybe I'll get a chance to visit with her," he answered tentatively.

Natalie nodded and said, "Maybe so Draco, maybe so. Well I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning I suppose. Have a good night."

"Sure, I'll see you. Have a good night too and thanks Natalie," Draco replied.

"You're welcome," Natalie said as she went upstairs to Ginny's room.

Draco smiled to himself. Hermione was going to be there tomorrow. He was finally going to see her and maybe actually get to speak to her. He hoped she was going to glad to see him too. Just seeing her and knowing she was happy was going to be the best Christmas gift he could ever receive.

Hermione spent Christmas Eve with her parents. They had a quiet dinner and she told them all about LSU and her job with the Dupres. They were glad to have Hermione back even it was only for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were staying in that evening, but Hermione was meeting Sebastian and Philip to exchange gifts and then they were going out to a muggle club. She decided to wear the new outfit her parents had given her. It was a red off the shoulder sweater with black skinny pants. She paired this with black high heeled boots and was off for the evening. She grabbed her coat and kissed her parents good night. When she left, Mr. and Mrs. Granger pondered about how Hermione was doing.

"Do you think everything is fine with Hermione? She's happy and all, but I know something is troubling her. Maybe I worry too much," Mrs. Granger said as she sat beside her husband on the couch.

"Hermione looks well and seems okay. I noticed she did seem to have a distant look in her eyes, but I don't feel we should pry. She knows she can tell us anything," Mr. Granger answered.

"I know you're right dear. I just think about that dreadful time she had with that young man earlier this year. Hermione never mentioned Draco, so I suppose she has moved on," Mrs. Granger replied.

"Hermione will be fine. She's a strong girl," Mr. Granger said and patted his wife on the knee. They watched a Christmas program on television and settled into a companionable silence.

Sebastian and Philip gasped when they opened their gift from Hermione. When they visited New Orleans, they had admired a painting of Bourbon Street. It was by an artist based in New Orleans. Hermione had gone back to the gallery, bought it, and had it shipped to her parents' home.

"Oh sweetums, you shouldn't have, but I'm glad you did! Thank you so much!" Sebastian exclaimed and hugged her tightly.

"Hermione, this is wonderful, we love it! Sebastian, I know exactly where we're going to hang it!" Philip said as he hugged her too.

"You are two of my dearest friends, I'm so happy you love it!" Hermione replied.

The two men gave Hermione her gift from them and she loved it. It was another designer outfit, this time a pale gray sweater dress with matching soft leather boots of the same color. The gray made Hermione think of Draco's eyes.

"This is gorgeous, thank you so much guys! I'm going to wear this tomorrow!" Hermione said and hugged her friends.

"Maybe a certain young man might appreciate the way you look in that outfit. Are you going to see him tomorrow?" Sebastian said slyly.

"I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Ginny and Natalie told me Draco is there," Hermione answered.

"Well you make sure you call or text me as soon as you find out! The suspense will be killing me," Sebastian said dramatic as always.

With that said Hermione and her friends left for the muggle club in Philip's car. She was glad not to be on the back of Sebastian's motorcycle, for it was freezing outside. Hermione smiled when they arrived at the club; it was the same club Sebastian had brought her to when they first went out together. She recalled Draco being at the club and dancing with her. He had no idea who she was at the time. She smiled when she remembered the look on his face when he realized it was her. The friends had a few drinks and Hermione danced with Sebastian. They decided to head home at a reasonable hour since Sebastian and Philip's parents were coming over and Hermione wanted to leave early for The Burrow. Philip dropped her off at her home.

"I don't care what time it is, be sure to let me know!" Sebastian said as he walked her to the front door.

"I will Sebastian, but there might not be anything to tell," Hermione said and laughed.

"Knowing you and Draco's history, oh yeah there's going to a story! Goodnight baby girl and Merry Christmas, Philip and I love you so much!" Sebastian said as he kissed her cheek.

Hermione returned the kiss and said, "I love you and Philip too! Merry Christmas and I'm so glad you're in my life." She opened the front door and turned to wave goodbye to her friends. She made her way upstairs to her room and prepared for bed. Hermione would sleep for a few hours and then head to The Burrow.

It seemed as if Hermione had just fallen asleep when her alarm rang. She was groggy as she made her way to the bathroom. A quick shower and thoughts of seeing Draco again perked her up. She dried and styled her hair until it fell in smooth rivulets down her back. Thank goodness for Sebastian's hair products. Hermione applied her makeup carefully and took a deep breath when she finished. It was now or never, she thought.

The sweater dress hugged her curves in all of the right places. The boots complemented the dress beautifully. Satisfied with her appearance, Hermione peeked in on her parents and saw that they were still asleep. She didn't want to wake them; they knew she was going to The Burrow. Hermione had butterflies in her stomach as she apparated to her destination.

When she arrived, she was immediately greeted by Molly Weasley. Molly was up early preparing a huge breakfast for the whole house. Hermione had missed visiting The Burrow and was glad to be back. As the pleasant aroma of bacon and sausage sizzling wafted throughout the house, everyone started to stir and make their way downstairs. They were all excited to see Hermione. She greeted everyone but noticed that Draco was nowhere to be found. Harry saw her looking around and took her aside.

"He left earlier this morning. He said something about meeting his mother," Harry said.

"You noticed I was looking for him. I hope everything is okay," Hermione replied and was disappointed.

"I think it is. He said he'd be back. He's looking forward to seeing you 'Mione," Harry stated.

"Really Harry? Because he's never tried to contact me since his marriage ended. I'm not sure where we stand," Hermione said.

"You two need to talk and figure this all out," Harry said.

"You're right. Enough of my drama, let's enjoy the day," Hermione said.

Harry smiled and they walked over to sit down for breakfast with everyone else. There was plenty of chatter at the table, but Hermione couldn't stop thinking about Draco. She hoped he would come back soon.

Draco was shocked to receive a message from his mother asking that he meet her at the Manor. He almost thought about not going, but Harry convinced him he should see his mother. Draco decided to listen to Harry. He missed his mother and knew deep down that she had nothing to do with his father's actions. Draco took a deep breath and entered the floo network to go to Malfoy Manor.

When he arrived his mother was waiting to greet him. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. She was crying.

"Oh Draco, I'm so happy you decided to come. I'm so sorry about everything," Narcissa said sadly.

"It's okay mother, I missed you. Merry Christmas," Draco said as he patted his mother's back reassuringly.

Lucius had a business meeting in France and would be returning later that afternoon. Draco had breakfast with his mother and spent most of the morning with her. She wanted to know everything that had been happening in his life. Narcissa also wanted to know if he was able to talk to Hermione.

"Mother, I don't know if I'll ever have a chance with her. She's dating someone else," Draco said sadly.

"Are you sure Draco? Damn it, why did Lucius and I have to interfere with your life? It is killing me to see how unhappy you are," Narcissa said angrily.

"I'll be fine. I know you didn't have any choice in the matter mum. I've finally stood up to father, I only wish I would've done it before I got married," Draco said softly and shook his head.

"This may sound trite Draco, but if it's meant to be Hermione will be yours again. I truly believe that," Narcissa replied.

"I hope so mum. Hermione was everything to me," Draco said.

Draco left not long after that and arrived back at The Burrow. He walked in to cheers and congratulations being shouted out. Ron had just proposed to Natalie and she happily accepted. She was truly shocked and tears were running down her face. Natalie couldn't believe it when she saw her parents and Lenny were there too. She told Hermione she was a damn bitch for keeping this from her, but she said it in a loving way. Hermione laughed and said it was difficult to stay quiet about it. Hermione had never seen Ron so happy, he was beaming. She smiled when Lenny came up and stood beside her.

"Couldn't have chosen a better bro-in-law myself," Lenny said and chuckled.

"I'm so happy for them," Hermione said.

"I am too. This has been a good Christmas. By the way, Merry Christmas Hermione," Lenny said and hugged her.

"Merry Christmas to you too Lenny," Hermione said as she hugged him back. As Lenny released her, she turned her head and her breath caught. There he was.

Draco saw Hermione hugging Lenny and started to walk away. Seeing her up close stirred up so many emotions in him. He wanted to take her in his arms and whisk her away from everything. Merlin, she was so beautiful. His heart ached as he stepped outside to get away from seeing her with Lenny.

Hermione looked around and lost sight of Draco. Where had he gone?

For some odd reason, Draco started to think about the odd dreams he had been having about digging up something at Hogwarts. He suddenly felt a compulsion to go there right at that moment. Draco laughed to himself and thought it was better than staying there watching the American wizard paw Hermione. He walked to the side of the house where no one could see and apparated to Hogwarts.

Where had he gone off to? Draco was nowhere to be found. Hermione wondered if she only thought she saw him. She started to worry as the evening closed in and there was still no sign of Draco. Harry told her maybe he decided to spend Christmas with his mother, but Hermione was positive she had seen him return to The Burrow. She reluctantly prepared for bed; she was going to spend the night with Ginny and Natalie and then return home in the morning. Where the hell was Draco?

The dream returned full-force and awakened Hermione. Enough was enough, this was it. She was going to Hogwarts and dig up that damn box. Maybe once she did that, the dreams would stop. Why was Marie Laveau always messing with her head?

Hermione dressed quietly in jeans and a warm sweater. She put on thick socks and her UGG boots. She was glad that no one was awake. She held her breath as she opened the door waiting for the hinges to squeak, but thankfully they didn't. Hermione made it outside and apparated to Hogwarts.

When she arrived on the grounds, she began to realize how crazy this was. Apparating to Hogwarts in the middle of the night was so ludicrous! She walked over to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest and located the spot. She wanted to laugh when she saw that there was a shovel there. She picked it up and started to dig. She dug and dug, but there was nothing there! Hermione threw the shovel aside and sat on the cold, hard ground. She put her head in her hands. Of course nothing was there; probably some students dug it up earlier this year. How could she be so stupid? Why did she keep having the dream? She was startled when she heard footsteps behind her. Hermione grabbed her wand and waited.

"I assume you were looking for these?"

It couldn't be. Hermione slowly turned around and was face to face with Draco. He knelt beside her and attached her necklace around her neck. He took her right hand and placed the earrings in it. Draco was holding the strip of photos and smiled.

"This was one of the best days and nights of my life. I hope you know that," Draco said.

"But, I don't understand. How did you know where to find this?" Hermione asked still not believing he was beside her.

"I've been having the strangest dreams and something pulled me here tonight. It was as if I wouldn't be able to rest until I dug up the box," Draco replied.

Hermione touched his face. "Is it really you Draco? I'm not seeing things?"

"It's really me love. Are you glad to see me?" Draco asked.

"Oh Draco, you just don't know what I'm feeling right now," Hermione said.

"How about we get out of this cold and find a warm place to talk?" Draco asked.

"Sure, we do need to discuss lots of things," Hermione answered.

They had no idea that Marie Laveau was watching them. She gave a sigh of relief. Finally, those two fools realize they belong together. Now she could get back to New Orleans.

Draco helped her up and pulled her close to him. He held her tightly as they apparated to the hotel in Hogsmeade. When they arrived, Draco got a room.

"Hermione, I only want to talk. Please don't get the wrong idea and think I'm trying to seduce you," Draco said as he looked into her eyes.

Hermione nodded and said, "I know Draco." Although the more she looked at him, she could think of nothing better than to jump his bones.

They made it to the room and entered it. The fireplace had been lit, so the room was warm and comfortable. There was a table and two chairs. This is where they sat and began their discussion.

"Hermione, I understand that you needed to move on. But know that I'm always there for you, should you decide not to be with Lenny," Draco started saying.

"Draco, why do you think I'm with Lenny?" Hermione asked.

"Aren't you? I saw you hugging him earlier and it looked like you were together. Also, I have something to confess," Draco said.

"Lenny and I are not together. I'm not seeing anyone. What do you have to confess?" Hermione asked.

"I apparated to your home in Louisiana and saw you and Lenny one night," Draco said and cast his eyes down, ashamed.

"Oh Draco, why didn't you talk to me then? You would have realized how much I love you and always will," Hermione said as a few tears coursed down her cheeks.

Draco stood up and went to Hermione. He pulled her into his arms and kissed away her tears.

"Oh love, do you think we can start over? So much has happened, I want to put it behind us," Draco said.

"I do too. We can definitely start over again," Hermione said as she hugged him tightly.

Draco and Hermione didn't make love that night. They held each other in the bed and spoke quietly about everything that had occurred. They discussed their future. The young couple slept for a few hours and apparated back to The Burrow. They crept in the house quietly and made it back to their beds. Ginny and Natalie woke up a few minutes later and noticed Hermione's huge grin. They knew immediately that she and Draco were back together. Harry and Draco had to get back to their Auror training, so they left not long after Hermione and Draco had arrived.

Draco told Harry about he and Hermione's reunion. Harry was ecstatic; finally his friends would be together. The work day went by quickly since Draco knew Hermione would be meeting him for dinner afterwards.

Hermione made it back home and sat down with her parents. She told them everything that had happened with Draco and his marriage.

"Darling are you sure this is the man you want to be with? I mean, is there a chance he could get involved in another arranged marriage? His family sounds awful," Mrs. Granger asked.

"No, he finally stood up to his father. Draco isn't even speaking to him. Oh mum, I can't explain it. I just know Draco and I are meant for each other," Hermione replied.

"You're an adult and can make your own decisions, but your mum and I worry. We only want you to be happy," Mr. Granger said.

"Thank you mum and dad. I am on cloud nine; I believe Draco is the one. I can't wait for you to meet him," Hermione said happily.

Her parents only looked at each other and smiled. Hermione had definitely gone through many changes the past year, but for the most part their daughter was level-headed and made good decisions. They would just have to trust her on Draco and hope for the best.

Draco couldn't believe how nervous he was as he waited for Hermione at the bar of the muggle restaurant. He saw her walk in and waved to her. His breath caught as she looked at him and smiled. He was so sure that she would never look at him that way again, but there she was. They sat down for dinner and both laughed as they realized they weren't hungry.

"Can we get out of here?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, where do you want to go?" Draco replied.

"Your place? Will Harry mind?" Hermione asked.

"No, Harry is with Ginny at a motel. They do that a few nights a week, just to get away from everything," Draco said.

"Sounds like fun," Hermione said and blushed.

"Ms. Hermione Granger, are you thinking naughty thoughts?" Draco asked.

"You know me well, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied.

"Let's get out of here before I act on your naughty thoughts," Draco growled.

They practically ran out of the restaurant and quickly apparated to Grimmauld Place. Once inside, Hermione kissed Draco passionately. This was what they had both been dreaming of. Draco swept her into his arms and carried her upstairs to his room. Hermione had her arms wrapped around his neck and they never stopped kissing as they fell onto Draco's bed.

Draco broke the kiss and looked at her, "We don't have to do this, and maybe it's too soon."

"Are you kidding me, come back here!" Hermione growled.

Draco smiled and started to kiss her again. He moved down to her neck and kissed the hollow of her neck. Hermione sat up and removed her sweater. She helped Draco unbutton his shirt. She loved the way his skin felt against hers. It had been way too long and she intended to make up for lost time. Draco quickly released the front clasp of her bra and removed it. He closed his eyes as he took one breast in his mouth and caressed the other one. Hermione gave a low moan and ran her fingers through his hair. Draco gently sucked on each nipple. He moved down and noticed her belly button was pierced. He looked up at her.

"When did you do this?" Draco asked.

"I did it over the summer, Nat did too. We thought it would look good with our bikinis. Do you not like it?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Oh I like it, it's sexy as hell," Draco said as he licked it.

Hermione bit her lip, he was sending chills up and down her body. She moved her hands over his chest and down to his pants. She ran one hand over his crotch and felt his cock twitch. Draco came back up and started to kiss her again. Hermione started to unbuckle his belt and unbutton his pants. Draco quickly kicked them off and went to work on her pants. He pulled them off and they were only clad in their underwear. Draco continued to kiss her and moved down to her breasts again. Hermione pushed her hips to his; she wanted him inside of her so badly. Draco smiled and moved down to her belly button. He was fascinated by the piercing; it so turned him on. Hermione started to pull down his boxers and he obliged her. He slipped out of them and let them fall to the floor. He pulled down her panties and looked at her. She truly was exquisite and was his again. Draco gently pushed her legs open with his knees and entered her slowly. He wanted to try to make it last, but knew it wouldn't take him long. He wanted her so badly. They moved together and Draco came within a few minutes. He apologized to Hermione but she only smiled and pulled him to her. He stayed inside of her and they began kissing. He was soon erect again and this time they made love slowly.

Hermione reluctantly left Draco's side the next morning. He had to get to work and she was going back to Louisiana. A part of her wanted to say fuck it and leave everything behind, but her sensible side told her she needed to finish what she started in Louisiana. She reflected on everything they had been through. Maybe fairytales were real.

Hermione and Draco agreed that she would finish her school and he would finish his Auror training before getting married. They were a little worried about a long-distance relationship, but Draco apparated to Louisiana any chance he got. He was eventually able to relocate to an Auror division in New Orleans. This worked out perfectly; he was able to live with Hermione in St. Francisville.

Hermione graduated with honors from LSU with a degree in interior design. She continued to work with Mr. Dupre. Draco finished his Auror training and moved through the ranks in his division in New Orleans. He and Hermione finally felt their lives were complete.

They were married in a small chapel in St. Francisville, surrounded by family and friends. It saddened Hermione that Draco's parents were not there, but he reassured her it was for the best. Natalie was her Matron of Honor and Sebastian was her Man of Honor. Blaise Zabini was Draco's Best Man. Blaise was glad to see Draco finally was with Hermione. They belonged together. Hermione looked beautiful in a simple strapless off-white gown. Sebastian had placed flowers in her hair. When she walked down the aisle with her father, Draco almost had to pinch himself. It was official, Hermione had agreed to become his wife. This was all he ever wanted.

Their reception was held at The Myrtles Plantation. Hermione truly felt like a Southern belle as Draco spun her around the dance floor. Everyone was in a great mood and it was a fun wedding. Hermione smiled and rested her head on her husband's shoulder. Draco was her husband, it felt so good to say that. Draco smiled down at her.

"Happy?" Draco asked.

"Beyond happy, ecstatic my dear husband," Hermione replied as she reached up and kissed him.

"I love you Hermione Malfoy, you're all I ever wanted," Draco said and kissed her back.

**Sorry it took some time to get this up. I was sad to end it! Hope you enjoyed it. Thank you again for reading it. The reviews were amazing and I am still surprised at all of the alerts. I hope to get another story up soon. I have ideas floating in my head at the moment. Happy 2012!**

**Steph**


	18. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

Lucius Malfoy, quite simply, was in love. The object of his affection had curly brown hair and gray eyes. She was 3 years old and she had him wrapped around her little finger. Lucius sat very still as Shelby-Lynn Malfoy carefully placed colorful barrettes throughout his waist-length hair.

"Oh Pepaw so pretty!" Shelby exclaimed as she held a small mirror for Lucius to see.

"Shelby-Lynn, you did a wonderful job on my hair!" Lucius exclaimed. He scooped her up and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. Shelby-Lynn giggled and squirmed away.

"Pepaw silly," Shelby-Lynn said as she walked out of the living room.

Hermione walked into the living room and saw Lucius' hair. She couldn't help herself and burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, looks like Shel got to you with the barrettes. She did it to Draco the other night," Hermione said and chuckled.

Lucius laughed and started to remove the barrettes. Shelby-Lynn could do anything she wanted as far as he was concerned. He never thought he could love a child so much.

Draco came in and wrapped his arms around his wife. He saw Lucius removing the barrettes and started laughing. As he and Hermione looked on, he thought about how much their lives had changed in the last few years.

A few months after he and Hermione were married, his parents contacted him. He was reluctant to see Lucius, but Hermione convinced him to try to reconcile with his father. The two men were able to set their differences aside. Lucius realized how wrong he was about Hermione and began to think differently about muggleborn wizards and witches. He saw how much Draco was in love with her. Narcissa never had a problem with Draco and Hermione, she was so glad when Lucius and Draco reconciled.

Draco and Hermione had settled in Louisiana and both of their parents visited regularly. They were there even more often since becoming grandparents. Shelby-Lynn was the apple of everyone's eye.

Natalie and Ron were married about two years before Draco and Hermione. They had settled in Baton Rouge. Ron played professional Quidditch for a few years and retired to become a defensive coordinator for the team. Natalie still works for her father as an accountant. Natalie and Ron had twins, a boy and a girl. Their names were Trey and Lauren and they were a year older than Shelby-Lynn.

Lenny ended up being drafted to the New Orleans Saints and loving it. He met his current wife when she was a cheerleader for the Saints. Heather was a few years younger than Lenny and a witch. She had attended the same wizarding school as Lenny and Natalie. The family adored her and she fit right in. Lenny had finally found his princess. There were no children, but Heather and Lenny were working on it.

Harry and Ginny were married a few months after Natalie and Ron. Harry worked in the Auror's London division and like Draco, was moving up in rank. Ginny had played professional Quidditch with the Holyhead Harpies and when she retired she became the senior Quidditch correspondent for The Daily Prophet. She and Harry had three children: James, Albus, and Lily.

Sebastian and Philip enjoyed visiting Louisiana and seeing their godchild, Shelby-Lynn. Shelby-Lynn referred to them as her two uncles. The two men purchased their dream home in the garden district of New Orleans. This is where they stay when visiting and where they intend to live once they retire.

Flori and Jean-Luc remained in New Orleans. Once their baby boy, Henri arrived, Flori's parents reconciled with her and Jean-Luc. They were even on speaking terms with Aunt Sophie. Sometimes Flori wondered if it was all supposed to happen the way it did. Was she destined to marry Draco so she could bring her family back together again? Life was strange indeed at times, but it all worked out. Jean-Luc continued to work with his brother and Flori discovered she was as talented as her Aunt Sophie was as a writer. She began to write children's books and became a respected author.

Draco kissed his beautiful wife and cherished each day with his family. Life was complete.

Marie Laveau walked around her city and smiled. She had done her good deed. Her work was done at the moment. She still had a few years before Shelby-Lynn grew up. She hoped Draco and Hermione were prepared; that one was going to be a handful. Oh well, Marie would be there to guide her through it. Just like she did for Hermione one faithful summer years ago.


End file.
